Sarah Berry.
Brain connections mirror positive traits New research ‘‘maps’’ how brain processes relate to behaviour and traits, writes ‘Brain networks are adaptable and rewiring is certainly possible.’
OUR behaviour is reflected in our brains and our brains are reflected in our behaviour, says a fascinating new study. Not only this, but ‘‘maps’’ of our brains correspond with education, income, IQ and life satisfaction.
The research, conducted by neuroscientists from the University of Oxford, looked at the brain scans of 461 participants, to map processes and connections.
They then compared the connections with a range of behavioural and lifestyle traits obtained via detailed questionnaires.
They found that a particular brain ‘‘map’’ reflected positive traits including a strong vocabulary, memory, life satisfaction, income and education. Similarly there was a different ‘‘map’’ reflecting typically negative traits like anger, rule-breaking, substance use and poor sleep quality.
‘‘There are two interesting findings here. Firstly, we see correlations between various positive aspects of our behaviour, traits and demographics,’’ says Dr Michele Veldsman, from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience, who was not involved with the study. ‘‘We have known for a long time that measures of aspects of intelligence are highly correlated and that they predict things like income, job success and even length of life.
‘‘This study is showing similar correlations between positive attributes but also relating it to the strength of functional connections between distinct regions in the brain.’’
Dr Bryce Vissel of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research says that such connections are ‘‘intuitively related to each other’’; if you’re intelligent, you’re likely to get a better job and, as a result, have more life satisfaction et cetera.
‘‘That’s not a great surprise,’’ he says. What Vissel does find interesting, like Veldsman, is that the study is starting to unravel how the brain wires together and ‘‘map’’ how the processes relate to behaviour and traits. ‘‘It’s at the early stages,’’ he says.
Both Veldsman and Vissel are quick to point out that the study shows correlation, not causation. The research does not reveal how much of these patterns are the result of nature versus nurture.
‘‘The study simply shows associations between certain positive traits, behaviours and demographics and connections between distinct brain regions,’’ Veldsman says.
‘‘We cannot tell at this stage how much of the variation across people is explained by genetics factors, how much these positive traits or lifestyle factors are influencing the connections between regions, or whether making positive lifestyle changes would positively impact brain connectivity.’’
Vissel agrees. ‘‘It is saying who we are and what we do is underpinned by a fundamental neural network, but we should be careful not to overdraw it.
‘‘The brain reflects who we are – is that because of genetics or because of education and exposure? It doesn’t answer that.’’
Understanding this is the holy grail for many neuroscientists.
‘‘Brain networks are adaptable and rewiring is certainly possible,’’ Veldsman says. ‘‘In fact, brain network plasticity is key to rehabilitation after brain injury or stroke.’’
Vissel has done extensive research into the way brains can rewire themselves after a stroke. ‘‘The brain is able to use other pathways to compensate for the loss of another region,’’ he explains, to what extent though is still unknown.
Veldsman and Vissel both agree that the latest study is ‘‘exciting’’ and a ‘‘flagpost’’ of things to come. But, it is still the tip of the iceberg for uncovering exactly how we influence the brain’s map and the brain’s map influences us.
‘‘The general feeling is there is a large contribution of exposure and experience,’’ Vissel says. ‘‘A large part of who we are is genetically encoded. A large part is malleable; we can change who we are.’’ A new study is starting to unravel how the brain wires together.