Blame Your Genes for Your Brain Function

The sharpness or dullness of a person's brain depends on the genetic make-up of the family, say researchers from the University of Melbourne, Neuropsychiatry Centre. Lead author, Alex Fornito said, "The findings have a bearing on why some people are better at certain tasks than others and also the genetic basis of mental illnesses. The brain is an extraordinarily complex network of billions of nerve cells interconnected by trillions of fibers. The brain tries to maximize its bang-for-buck by striking a balance between making more connections to promote efficient communication and minimizing the 'cost' or amount of wiring required to make these connections."

Scientists hope that this research may be helpful for uncovering the specific genes that are important in explaining differences in cognitive abilities, risk for mental illness and neurological diseases like schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.


Source-Medindia