Chapter 9: From Brain Differences to Individual Differences

• Introduction
• Do genetics predispose individuals to have different abilities
• Examples of people with different brains/abilities
• Les
• Premature, blind, only expected to live a short time
• Incredible memory, natural concert pianist
• Willa
• Williams Syndrome
• Brain is 15% smaller than average
• At 18, roughly the level of a first grader
• Gifted writer
• Kim
• Missing corpu collasum and anterior commissure
• Can perfectly recall anything he has read
• Similar to the "rain man" in terms of difficulties with day to day life.
• Very minor genetic changes resulted in these differences
• What sorts of changes could bring about these changes?
• Brain Paths
• Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) 
• MRI that traces paths through the brain
• May lead to predispositions due to genetic factors
• Genetic control is highly indirect.
• Example with the rat rewiring its brain to repair damage.
• Brain Tracts and Differential Abilities
• Reading ability could be tied to brain wiring
• Nature vs. Nurture
• Genetics control roughly 1/2 of our brain traits.
• Someone who is predisposed to having a trait my still not develop that trait.
• Based on identical twin, fraternal twin and adopted sibling studies.