Relation of brain size to intelligences?
98737
i have not read or heard that there is a corelation between size of brain and intelligence
1081648
matter, intelligence,
750339
Well, depending on what kind of "mentally challenged" you mean, the answer could be yes or no.\n\nThere are several kinds of neurological disorders that result in a brain that is simply differently wired, with IQs in the normal range or higher. Because the brain is extremely adaptable, it will often compensate for deficits in one area by making other areas work more efficiently. That's why a blind person often has very good hearing: He doesn't have any visual input to process; so his brain specializes on the next most informative sense: Hearing.\n\nSome disorders are like that. ADHD is associated with originality; autism with very good visual-spatial skills; bipolar disorder with creative talent, especially in the arts. So people with these disorders are also more likely to have talents that people without them don't have. People with these disorders look at them as mixed blessings, or even as gifts.\n\nI don't know what it's like to be anyone but myself; so I don't know which disorders other than my own (Asperger Syndrome, a mild form of autism) fit into the category I just described. And I do consider AS to be a gift, in some ways. I'm socially clumsy, and I can't tolerate some sensory input; but I also have very good logical reasoning skills, I approach problems in original ways, and I have quite a lot of talents in my areas of special interest.\n\nBut all in all, people with psychological, neurological, or biological isorders that affect their mental functioning have one big problem: They are square pegs trying to fit into round holes. They are not the majority; so the world is not designed for them. It could be prejudice or the need for accomodations or some aspect of the disorder itself; but being ill-suited for the world you live in can be a difficult thing. Even your talents may not be the sort of thing the world is looking for.\n\nRegarding people with low IQs and severe disorders with no positive aspects. Individual personalities may indeed make them feel superior to others, just as neurologically average people may feel superior to people in general, whether their IQs are higher or lower than their own; but that seems to be a personality trait unconnected to any disorder.\n\nFrom what I can tell, all but the most profoundly affected are aware that they are different; but in a loving family, with good support and the accomodations they need to live in the world, they need not feel inferior or unwanted. These folks have the same goal that any of us have--the pursuit of happiness, in whatever form that takes for them; and why should a happy life ever be called an inferior one?
132627
Human brain - our capability to think, problem solve and communicate.\n\nIf you compare human brain volume with other animals, we have the biggest (and most complex/developed) brain in relation to the body mass.  \n\nIt is our brain that gave us a distinct advantage to survive natural selection.  We have never been the strongest animal, but we're the smartest and most resourceful by far.  If not for our ability to adapt and invent, we’d have been hunt to extinction by other stronger carnivores.
857980
Intelligence.  People who are IQ 185 +  It just amazes.  I am so jealous of those people.\nB
898350
Actually, "smarter" mammal have larger brains in ratio to the size of their body.  If you were to take the ratio of size/weight of a human brain and his body and compare that with an elephant, you would find that a human's ratio is much higher.  I've heard contradicting theories with regard to actual percentage used.  We do in fact use most areas of our brain.  Why other areas are not in use probably have to do with evolution.  What sets us apart from other mammals is the amount of things we create for comfort and not survival.  All animals, there may be case by case exceptions, operate under the need to survive.  We operate under what is comfortable.
31524
Current estimates of brain capacity range from 1 to 1000 terabytes! *terabyte is a 1000 gigabytes\n  \n"Robert Birge (Syracuse University) who studies the storage of data in\nproteins, estimated in 1996 that the memory capacity of the brain was\nbetween one and ten terabytes, with a most likely value of 3\nterabytes. Such estimates are generally based on counting neurons and\nassuming each neuron holds 1 bit. Bear in mind that the brain has\nbetter algorithms for compressing certain types of information than\ncomputers do."
684350
Yes, we all are capable of absorbing the same amount of knowledge except as mentioned people with disabilities. Studies are now showing we all have different learning patterns but it doesn't necessarily mean higher intelligence. We are all exceptionally smart creatures. All of us.
65059
I know there isn't an exact measurment of memory capacity for the brain. I just wanted to know peoples opinions on what would be the equivalency if they could measure it. If there was an exact answer, cool. I should of clarified that in my question. Sorry for the mis-understanding.
734322
It is not only one factor that actually determines how intelligente you are. Consider genetics, nurture, environment, motivation. There are other more complicated factors such as the diet of a mother during pregnancy, thus affecting brain development. Intelligence is a complicated topic and science has not find the perfect way to make kids smart people; but we know few of the factors that contribute to create this gift of nature.
214026
Although some people claim that there is a neurological difference between males and females that accounts for differing abilities in math and science, this article from Yale University refutes it:\nhttp://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=28105\nBasically, it explains the apparent difference in terms of society and society's expectations of women. \n\nWhen I majored in math in college, half our class was made up of women.
348403
It is a valid question, and one used against women for years (interestingly, nobody at that time seems to have thought elephants were smarter than men!).  The relationship of the anatomy of the brain to intelligence seems to have only two fairly clear correlations: 1) the amount of surface area folding (sulci and gyri) found on the frontal cortex and 2) the brain weight/body weight ratio.  Under these two correlates, men and women are the same.  There is absolutly no correlation between the size of a person and the intelligence..even though bigger humans tend to have bigger brains.  Now, using the folding and brain to body ratio, we can figure which animals "should" be very smart-and they include ravens, dolphins, and primates.  The raven finding is interesting, because every intelligence test ever given these birds (who have small brains, because they are small animals, but very large brain to body ratios) shows them to be smarter than dogs, and nearly as smart as primates.  Another interesting thing: the only animals that has *both* and larger brain to body ratio than humans *and* increased frontal cortex folding, is the dolphin...makes ya think, huh?
401209
Everyone has the same brain capacity, unless you have Down's Sydnrome, or other mental problems. It is how you use your brain that makes you smart. If you never learn, never want to learn, you are likely to be stupid. Vice versa.
394660
no, probably not. "intelligence" is not a trait that can be pin-pointed to the action of any gene or set of genes. \n\nthere is a set of genes (i can't remember precisely which at the moment...) that controls the size of the brain. it does this by signalling neuron progenitor cells to switch their mode of cell division at a certain time, thus controlling the amount of neurons produced. turning this switch just one cycle later would double the number of neurons produced! studies were conducted with rats, messing with this gene. they produced rats with significantly larger brains (more gyrification, actually), however they were severely mentally retarded! \n\nSo to answer your question, yes you can alter brain-structure by altering genes (i took a class about brain development last quarter and there are A LOT of different genes that control different aspects of how the brain is developed, but we don't understand all of the processes completely!), but it won't make the baby smarter, usually any changes have severely detrimental (if not lethal) consequences.
8917
No, the brain size does not change.
602970
It all depends on how exactly you measure intelligence.\n\nPsychologists have long known, and a small handful of educators are slowly attempting to point out to their hidebound school boards that not every person has the same kind of intelligence, and not everyone's mind works the same way.\n\nJust as some people might be superlative in solving logical problems, working mathematical equations and writing elegant code, but be totally abyssmal in inter-personal relationships, or be incapable of remembering what they were supposed to buy on the way home, there may well be different types of intelligence in the animal kingdom.\n\nFor example, there is a large body of evidence that indicates that camels are actually masters at complex theoretical and practical mathematics.  Their lack of natural curiosity and obstinate, ornery natures tends to restrict the expression of this genius to the real-world practical applications of applied ballistics, and use their talents only for accurately placing fetid gobs of spit.\n\nDolphins are often noted for their large brain size, and their intricate social lives that include clever strategems used in pack hunting of reef fish, but as it turns out reef fish aren't really that difficult to outsmart, and the dolphins don't even use most of their capability for intelligence.  They are afraid it makes them look too dorky, and so they spend most of their time gossipping, discussing which other dolphins are the cutest, what the latest fashions in coral colour are, how cool it would be if someone invented waterproof make-up, Tom Cruise, and other mindless drivel.  Sometimes it just breaks their mother's heart when she thinks of all that wasted talent.\n\nHippos are indeed fairly intelligent, but mostly in the fields of biochemistry and Russian literature.  Because they are rarely exposed to these stimuli, they tend to be very ornery, and work out their frustrations by tearing people and crocodiles in half, and then spreading poo everywhere.  Which, if you read carefully, are also common themes in Russian literature.
248566
Well, when I saw this question I immediately thought of DR. Spock.  I found an article that might be helpful for you, it is entitled "Little scientists: How young Children Think"\nis about cognitive development, several ideas.\n\nThis does not really answer your question, but it should give you an answer.\n\nhttp://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,3899,00.html\n\nHope this helps,