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Measurements
Direct caliper measurements
were
made
both
from
Einsteins brain and from the
control
brains.
Other
measurements were made from
calibrated photographs. We
measured baseline values for
overall dimensions of the
brain, including variables for
Figure 1: Photographs taken in 1995 of five views of Einsteins whole brain (meninges removed)
which
there are published data
A, superior; B, left lateral; C, right lateral; D, inferior; E, midsagittal view of the left hemisphere. The arrow in
(eg, weight, corpus callosum
each hemisphere indicates the posterior ascending branch of the Sylvian fissure as it runs into (is confluent
with) the postcentral sulcus (compare with figure 2). Consequently, there is no parietal operculum in either
size21); measures involving
hemisphere. Scale bar, 1 cm.
parietal regions important for
Although there is no record of his having made specific
visuospatial cognition and mathematical thinking; and,
arrangements for post-mortem study of his brain,
for comparison, measures of frontal and temporal
Einstein was sympathetic to the idea of his brain being
regions. Statistically significant differences between
Einstein and the control group were defined as those
studied. As reported in The New York Times in 1951, he,
measures at least 2 SDs from the control mean.
along with other physicists, underwent electroencephalographic recordings for research purposes.14 He also
insisted that his brain should be used for research.15 At
Einsteins parietal lobes
the time of his death, the family requested a necropsy,
Figure 1 shows the set of photographs taken in 1955 of
which was done by pathologist Thomas Harvey, who
the lateral, superior, inferior, and midsagittal views of
took the initiative to remove the brain for scientific
Einsteins brain. The superior view (figure 1A) shows a
study. Consent was given by Einsteins elder son, Hans
relatively spherical brain which is corroborated
Albert Einstein,16 and by the executor of Einsteins
quantitatively (see below). Moderate atrophy is present
estate, Prof Otto Nathan (ref 17, p 264).
around the main fissures in the central regions in both
hemispheres, to an extent common for a person in their
Control brain specimens
eighth decade.22 A unique morphological feature is
The control group consisted of all the male specimens
visible in the lateral surface of each hemisphere which
available at the time (n=35) in the Witelson Normal
otherwise shows usual anatomy (figure 1B, 1C)
Brain Collection based at McMaster University. The key
namely, the posterior ascending branch of the Sylvian
features of this collection are that the brains are from
fissure is confluent with the postcentral sulcus.
research volunteers with normal neurological and
Consequently, there is no parietal operculum (the
2150
2151
Einstein
Left
Age (yr)
Height (cm)
Overall brain measures
1 Brain weight, fresh (g)
2 Hemisphere weight, fixed (g)
3 Maximum height of hemisphere
(cm)
4 Length of hemisphere (OF) (cm)
5 Maximum width of hemisphere
(cm)
6 Ratio of width of hemisphere to
height
7 Ratio of width of brain to length
(mean OF)
8 Corpus callosum area (cm2 )
Right
Left
Right
76
176
57 (11)
178 (8)
1230
5500 5450
89
87
172
75
164
75
084
086
1400 (118)*
5910 (460) 5910 (480)
93 (06)
94 (06)
169 (06)
65 (05)
070 (007)
168 (06)
65 (05)
069 (007)
089
077 (006)
68
70 (090)
92
113
51
08
12
95
116
51
09
12
94 (07)
106 (06)
48 (04)
09 (04)
14 (05)
92 (08)
105 (06)
47 (04)
10 (04)
12 (04)
132
39
61
128
39
66
132 (05)
40 (03)
51 (11)
132 (05)
40 (03)
60 (09)**
79
83
79
79
29
20
0
0
83 (08)
95 (06)
58 (09)
61 (11)
09 (11)
23 (06)
19 (10)
61 (34)
84 (08)
93 (08)
72 (09)**
74 (10)**
24 (13)**
20 (06)**
11 (12)**
36 (21)**
84
89
71
80
25
35
0
0
Control group consists of 35 men and an age-matched male subgroup (see text).
*Our control mean of 1400 g is similar to values of other studies of large groups of
white men of similar age range (3070 years)eg, mean fresh brain weight=1399 g,
n=1433, mean age=53 years.20 For the age-matched subgroup, mean (SD) fresh brain
weight was 1386 g (149). In a large study, mean fresh brain weight for a 7080 year age
group was 1342 g, n=253.20
Maximum height usually occurs near the plane of point C (figure 3).
Maximum width of each hemisphere occurs over the end of SF (figure 3).
Statistically different (2 SDs from the control group) or reflect unique morphology.
Callosal area is larger in non-right-handers and decreases with advancing age.21 There
is evidence to suggest that Einstein was not consistently right-handed.37 Einsteins
callosal area of 68 cm2 tended to be larger than his predicted value (59 cm2) when
hand preference and age were taken into account.21
**Statistically significant right-left anatomical asymmetry within the control group
(compare ref 28) (p<001, two-tailed paired t-tests).
2152
References
1
2153