On Wed, 12 Nov 1997, Vonda N. McIntyre wrote:
> I have to say that I find it extremely difficult
> to imagine how anyone could detect an "extra"
> 40,000 brain cells, even as an average,
> considering that the average brain contains 100
> BILLION neurons.
Well, the miracles of modern science are astounding, though I am hesitant
to accept this statistic without support as well.
I recenctly read (In scientific american I think) that there is evidence
that Many forms of learning disabilities (dsylexia etc) might be caused by
an excess of brain cells. Apparently the human brain sloughs off a
big region of brain cells (in the back of the head I think) as a fetus
that are not discarded in many LD people. I will have to look for the
exact reference, but raises some interesting questions with regards to the
usefullness of brain cells (and of course the relationships between
intelligence and LD). It might also account for a the difference we are
referring to. I think I read that there are more LD males than females,
so it could be that when you average it all out... One of the things I
get really peeved about is when people mis-interpret averages and
statistics in part because it happens so much.
-- Joel VanLaven
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