What's New in Neurofeedback

• Injections Temporarily Turn Slacker Monkeys Into Model Workers
• Mystery pain 'is all in the mind'
• Premature boys have smaller brain
• Social status influences brain structure
• Brain device offers hope for some mental disorders
• Scientists study brain's wiring to learn how we remember, forget
• Brain Waves Show Differences in Stutterers

  All links at: http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=science&cat=brain_research

In November I compiled all the scientific articles of neurofeedback I could find for this newsletter. But most clients (or their parents) cannot be expected to trudge through terse academic jargin just to get an inkling of what neurofeedback is or does. Below is a list of neurofeedback articles from the popular press. Beware: Some are good, a few are not so flattering. Most are since 2000.

Legend: [s] = short, less than 1,000 words

1. AScribe Newswire January 22, 2003
   Researchers Find Link Between Improved Memory [s]
2. Alberta Report Nov 6, 2000
   A brainwave fix for ADD.
3. Alcohol Research & Health Spring 2003
   Alcoholism and human electrophysiology.
4. American Journal of Human Genetics Sept 2002
   Announcements (1).
5. American Theatre Feb 2002
   West Hartford: Intermezzo Young Artists Development Program.[s]
6. Anchorage Daily News, Jan 30, 2004
   Anchorage Daily News, Alaska, Inside Alaska Business Column.[s]
7. Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association Spring 2003
   APA members give helpful advice for today's mental health professional.
8. Annual Review of Psychology Annual 2002
   Clinical assessment
9. Ascribe Higher Education News Service Jan 22, 2003
   Researchers Find Link Between Improved Memory, Use of Neurofeedback.[s]
10. B.C. Business Magazine September, 2002
    Brain wave [s]
11. BioWorld International March 31, 2004
    UK awards grants for work focused on disease genetics.[s]
12. BioWorld International Sept 17, 2003
    Oxford BioMedica raises 22.[s]
13. Bismarck Tribune (North Dakota) July 16, 2003
    Integrating an alternative
14. British Journal of Psychology Feb 2002
    Conceptualization and measurement of celebrity worship.
15. Business First-Columbus Dec 7, 2001
    New ADHD helmet getting attention in the workplace.[s]
16. Business First of Buffalo Nov 20, 2000
    Deals, deals and more deals.[s]
17. Business Journal-Portland June 8, 2001
    People On The Move.[s]
18. Business Week Oct 16, 2000
    Patient, Heal Thyself.
19. Business Week Sept 22, 2003
    Mind-Bending Alternatives To Memory Pills.[s]
20. Calgary Herald (Alberta Canada) April 16, 2004
    Post-traumatic stress can alter behaviour [s]
21. Cancer Weekly March 4, 2003
    Molecular Biology: New Northwestern Center Targets Brain Disorders [s]
22. Chicago Tribune, Feb 18, 2004
    A quirky peek inside the human brain.
23. Clinical Psychiatry News August 2002
    Researchers give CBT for epilepsy no-confidence vote.[s]
24. Clinician Reviews Oct 1999
    Alternative Medicine.
25. Company News Feed formerly Regulatory News Service March 29, 2004
    Oxford Biomedica PLC - Research Update
26. Corrections Compendium April 2003
    Identification and management of psychopaths in court-mandated treatment programs.
27. Crain's Cleveland Business April 17, 2000
    Biomec on board to aid biofeedback company [s]
28. Dallas Business Journal Jan 8, 1999
    Holisticos to roll out up to eight alternative care centers.[s]
29. Drug Topics July 3, 2000
    Psychotropics And Kids : Use Of Drugs In Treating Adhd Sets Off New Debate About Finding The Right Therapy For Children.
30. Drug Week April 12, 2002
    Data on new family of antipsychotic drugs presented.[s]
31. Education & Treatment of Children May 2002
    Technology applications for children with ADHD: assessing the empirical support.
32. Exceptional Children Wntr 2001
    Rewarded by Punishment: Reflections on the Disuse of Positive Reinforcement in Schools.
33. Family Practice News April 1, 2000
    EEG Biofeedback Helped Patients With ADHD.[s]
34. Financial Times (London England) January 24, 2003
    How to spark the memory [s]
35. Generations Fall 2003
    Neurofeedback.
36. Gold Coast Bulletin (Australia) August 23, 2003
    Mind games
37. Health Care Strategic Management June 2004
    Neurosciences provide great opportunities for hospitals.
38. Health Newswire Consumer January 23, 2003
    New technique "could boost memory" [s]
39. Houston Business Journal Nov 23, 2001
    New helmet getting attention of those with ADHD.[s]
40. Independent Living Feb-March 1990
    Gateway: a new pathway out of pain.
41. Infants & Young Children July 2002
    Alternative and complementary therapies for children and youth with disabilities.
42. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario CA) November 9, 2002
    'Brain training' working miracles; Neurofeedback may help trea ta myraid of disorders [s]
43. Internal Medicine April 2000
    Some individuals never outgrow ADHD, says DSM-IV.[s]
44. Internal Medicine News Oct 15, 2002
    Evidence fails to support epilepsy behavior therapy.[s]
45. Internet Wire Oct 7, 2003
    Socialization and The Learning Disabled Free Seminar.[s]
46. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News August 9, 1995
    Colorado's Lexicor Medical Sees Many Uses for Stress Reduction Devices.[s]
47. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News July 7, 2002
    Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.
48. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 10, 2001
    North Port, Fla.[s]
49. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 20, 2002
    The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.[s]
50. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 5, 2003
    Anchorage Daily News, Alaska, Business People Column.[s]
51. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Nov 10, 1998
    Anchorage Daily News Inside Alaska Business Column.[s]
52. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Nov 29, 2000
    Educational Consultants to Offer Services in Stockton, Calif.[s]
53. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Oct 27, 1998
    Entrepreneur Promotes Dallas-Based Alternative Medicine Company.[s]
54. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Sept 3, 1999
    Anchorage Daily News Inside Alaska Business Column.[s]
55. Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Dec 29, 1993
    A biofeedback therapist has developed ways to diagnose the problem and boost brain wave activity.[s]
56. Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Jan 7, 1997
    Debate heats up as more and more parents put their children on Ritalin.
57. Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service May 19, 2000
    Neurofeedback seen as possible alternative to Ritalin.[s]
58. Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Sept 24, 1999
    Exercise for the brain: Attention-deficit disorders are begin treated with a controversial technique.
59. Library Journal May 1, 2002
    Awakening the Mind: A Guide to Mastering the Power of Your Brain Waves.[s]
60. Long Island Business News Jan 12, 2001
    Putting type-A people in type-B bodies.
61. Manningham Leader (Australia) February 11, 2004
    Moods have a cause [s]
62. Manningham Leader (Australia) June 11, 2003
    Mapping system aids diagnosis [s]
63. Market News Publishing August 30, 2001
    Global Innovative Systems Inc - Positive Results Found Between Neurofeedback And Enermed Therapy.[s]
64. Market News Publishing March 20, 2002
    Wavepoint Systems Inc - Names Duke University's David Rabiner To Scientific - Advisory Board.[s]
65. Mothering May-June 2003
    The Feingold solution: assessing the role of diet in children's behavior.
66. Mothering Nov-Dec 2002
    Latest & greatest: expand your mind! (Cool Stuff).
67. Music Educators Journal Sept 2000
    EEG Studies With Young Children.
68. NWHRC Health Center - Biofeedback March 02, 2004
    Biofeedback Treatment.
69. National Post Nov 11, 2000
    Vata?
70. Natural Health Jan-Feb 2003
    Tips on safe places to walk, healthy eating, and more .[s]
71. Natural Health May-June 1993
    Proven mind/body medicine: scientific approaches provide hope for those suffering from chronic conditions.
72. Natural Health Oct-Nov 2002
    Tips on halting panic attacks, healing hives, and more .[s]
73. New Scientist August 2, 2003
    Tune up your brain [s]
74. New Scientist March 3, 2001
    Thought control.
75. New Scientist Sept 16, 2000
    Relax, then do it.[s]
76. New Straits Times (Malaysia) December 4, 2002
    New ICT solution to manage stress
77. News & Record (Greensboro NC) February 22, 2003
    Don't Underestimate Benefits From Nasa [s]
78. Newsweek International August 5, 2002
    Letters.
79. Newsweek June 19, 2000
    On The Track With Neurofeedback.[s]
80. O, The Oprah Magazine Feb 2004
    The lovely neurons: a heady new book goes deep into the nerve-racking mechanics of the human brain.[s]
81. Omni Dec 1994
    Biofeedback is back: and this time it's really far out.[s]
82. Ophthalmology Times Feb 15, 1999
    Advances promise to reshape dry eye care.
83. Original Internist June 2001
    Traditional Oriental Medicine And Traditional Chiropractic Theory.
84. PR Newswire March 26, 2004
    Brain-Wave Biofeedback Aids Healing in Extreme Trauma [s]
85. PR Newswire August 19, 1999
    HumaScan Inc.[s]
86. PR Newswire August 30, 2001
    Positive results found between Neurofeedback and Enermed Therapy.[s]
87. PR Newswire Dec 23, 1999
    NeuroCorp, Ltd.[s]
88. PR Newswire June 14, 2000
    Advanced Educational Consulting Offers Alternative Therapies for Children With Attention Deficit Disorder.[s]
89. PR Newswire March 26, 2004
    Brain-Wave Biofeedback Aids Healing in Extreme Trauma.[s]
90. PR Newswire May 31, 2000
    PR Newswire National Summary (Part 2), Wed.
91. PR Newswire Oct 16, 1998
    Blue Cross And Blue Shield Of Georgia First To Offer Complementary Medicine Program.[s]
92. PR Newswire Oct 23, 1992
    Neuromedical Technologies, Inc.[s]
93. PR Newswire Sept 11, 2000
    Olympic Swimmer Chad Carvin Uses Peak Achievement Trainer To Find the 'Zone' via Better Concentration and Visualization.[s]
94. Pain & Central Nervous System Week Jan 20, 2003
    Children may benefit from 'brain wave' training.[s]
95. Pain & Central Nervous System Week May 6, 2002
    Evidence does not support psychological treatments.[s]
96. Parks & Recreation Dec 2001
    Biofeedback: helping people gain control of their health.
97. Patient Care Dec 15, 1995
    Multimodal treatment for ADHD.
98. Patient Care Dec 15, 1995
    What ADHD is - and isn't.
99. Paul Magazine July 2003
    Docs outside the box: research--and patients--are helping convince physicians that a mix of medicines may be the best prescription of all.
100. Pediatric Nursing July-August 2002
     Promoting positive parenting: an annotated bibliography.
101. Pharma Marketletter April 5, 2004
     Oxford BioMedica gets L500,000 slice of UK govt gene therapy fund.[s]
102. Preventing School Failure Wntr 2000
     Motivation and Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
103. Prevention March 1993
     Relax the flash.[s]
104. Providence Business News April 23, 2001
     Sensory Technologies finds home, support.
105. Psychology Today Jan-Feb 1996
     A smorgasbord of stress-stoppers.
106. Psychology Today May-June 1998
     Wired for miracles?
107. Publishers Weekly April 3, 2000
     A Symphony In The Brain: The Evolution Of The New Brain Wave Biofeedback.[s]
108. Sacramento Business Journal Dec 7, 2001
     Helmet can help attention-deficit patients stay focused.[s]
109. San Antonio Express-News (Texas) April 28, 2003
     Answers to autism ; Parents
110. San Antonio Express-News (Texas) December 6, 2002
     Ecumenical Center aids many ; Neurofeedback can help brain efficiency. [s]
111. Santa Barbara News-Press, April 27, 2004
     On The Move Column.[s]
112. Santa Fe New Mexican (New Mexico) November 20, 2002
     Down The Street: Dallas To Eldorado: A New Resident Comes Home [s]
113. Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida) February 4, 2004
     Education Notes [s]
114. Sarasota Herald Tribune April 28, 1997
     Professional Engineer Strikes Out On Her Own.
115. Sarasota Herald Tribune Dec 10, 2003
     Education Notes.[s]
116. Sarasota Herald Tribune Feb 4, 2004
     Education Notes.[s]
117. Sarasota Herald Tribune Oct 22, 2001
     Comings and Goings.[s]
118. Sarasota Herald Tribune Oct 27, 2003
     KUDOS.[s]
119. Sarasota Herald Tribune Oct 30, 2000
     Comings and Goings.[s]
120. Sarasota Magazine Jan 2003
     What's your line?[s]
121. Southern Medical Journal Dec 2002
     A Symphony in the Brain.[s]
122. Southern Medical Journal July 2002
     Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: an update.
123. Southern Star (Australia) May 26, 2004
     Retraining the brain offers hope [s]
124. Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne) September 8, 2002
     Mum: My son was saved [s]
125. The Boston Globe January 25, 2004
     Globe West 2; Difficult Choices Variety Of Treatments Face Parents Of Autistic Children
126. The Exceptional Parent Jan 1999 - 2003
     National Resources for Specific Disabilities.
127. The Exceptional Parent June 1998
     Problems of behavior and learning: a pediatric perspective.
128. The Exceptional Parent March 1996
     ADD and mental retardation.[s]
129. The Exceptional Parent Nov 2001
     Search and Respond.
130. The Futurist Nov-Dec 2003
     Better music through science.[s]
131. The Gazette (Colorado Springs) April 30, 2004
     Neurofeedback helps subjects gain control of their brainwaves
132. The Guardian (London) - Final Edition May 15, 2004
     Mind map: PD Smith explores the fascinating frontiers of neuroscience [s]
133. The Lancet March 4, 2000
     Need to focus research in stroke rehabilitation.
134. The Network News May 2001
     Fibromyalgia: The Search for Identity.
135. The New American Sept 22, 2003
     Drugging our kids.[s]
136. The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington) Oct 16, 2003
     The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.[s]
137. The Seattle Times, August 4, 2003
     DVD extras: One fan's overkill is another's paradise.
138. The Times (London) April 17, 2004
     Wired up for mind games [s]
139. The Times (London) September 17, 2003
     Biotech firm wins breathing space [s]
140. The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia) April 16, 2004
     Possible post-traumatic stress disorder
141. The Washington Post June 29, 2004
     All in the Head; Three Approaches to Mental Health Treatment That Stretch the Boundaries -- and
142. Time Nov 30, 1998
     Rx: A Shelf Load Of Books.[s]
143. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients April 2001
     New Hope, New Haven for the Mentally III.[s]
144. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients August-Sept 2002
     My turn: a doctor's case of high blood pressure.
145. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Dec 2002
     Treating ADD with Neurofeedback.[s]
146. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Feb-March 2002
     A child's inheritance: The modern miasm identification and treatment strategy.
147. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Jan 2003
     New information for people with Tourette Syndrome.[s]
148. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients July 2002
     New health books from Haworth Press.[s]
149. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Oct 2003
     Attention deficit disorder, neurofeedback and cognitive therapy.[s]
150. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Oct 2003
     EEG biofeedback in attention deficit disorder and learning disability.[s]
151. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Oct 2003
     More EEG biofeedback and ADHD.[s]
152. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Oct 2003
     The potential role of phytotherapy for ADHD.
153. University Wire October 15, 2002
     Cal Poly-area center offers alternative therapy [s]

-DK

News & Reviews NEW BOOKS

Brain Lock : Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior
by Jeffrey M. Schwartz
Self-treatment druf-free program for obsessive-compulsive disorder --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060987111/top100

An Alchemy of Mind: The Marvel and Mystery of the Brain
by Diane Ackerman
Personal experiences described through scientific descriptions of the brain, neurochemistry, etc. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743246721/top100

Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception
by Abraham J. Twerski
Case studies that reveal irrational and contradictory patterns of addictive thinking. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568381387/top100

Paul Broca: Founder of French Anthropology, Explorer of the Brain
by Francis Schiller
The life of Paul Broca, pioneer in cerebral localization. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195074963/top100

Alexander Romanovich Luria: A Scientific Biography
by E. D. Khomskaia, David E. Tupper, Evgenia D. Homskaya
Life of a neuropsychology pioneer. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0306464942/top100

Relationship Development Intervention with Young Children: .. Activities for Asperger..
by Steven E. Gutstein, Rachelle K. Sheely
Activities to develop social referencing, behavior regulation, conversational reciprocity, and synchronized actions. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1843107147/top100

Parting the Fog: Personal Side of Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
by Sue Jones
First person account of fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome. --www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0971217505/top100

Gender differences in hemispheric organization during divergent thinking: EEG : Results suggest different hemispheric organization in men and women during creative thinking. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15158012

Reward sensitivity in impulsivity. : Impulsive people choose immediate small over delayed larger rewards, suggesting more than normal sensitivity to reward amounts. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15194887

Where arousal meets attention: a simultaneous fMRI and EEG recording study. : Arousal was correlated with right dorsal-lateral prefrontal and superior parietal cortices, closely overlapping regions involved in the maintenance of attention. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15193597

Greater right frontal EEG asymmetry and nonemphathic behavior are observed in children prenatally exposed to cocaine. : Cocaine-exposed children had greater right frontal EEG asymmetry, showed fewer empathic reactions to crying infants, and were less proficient in cooperative tasks. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15195352

Cortical synchronization during sentence comprehension in high-functioning autism : Autistics produced more activation than controls in Wernicke's area and less in Broca's. Functional connectivity between areas was also lower for the autistic group. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15215213

Biofeedback-based psychophysiological treatment in a primary care setting : Examined feasability of biofeedback for certain conditions such CFS. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15208972

Electrophysiologic abnormalities of auditory and visual processing in TBI : TBI patients exhibit diminished amplitudes and prolonged latencies in P300 responses, indicating impaired organization and categorization of incoming sensory information, as well as prolonged reaction times. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15166686

Efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy: a systematic review of scientific evidences. : Bibliographical evidence on short, medium and long-term efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy from 1965 until June 2003 for depression, schizophrenia, mania and Parkinson disease are reviewed. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15168266

Quantitative EEG findings of a temporal lobe abnormality: case study : A focal CNS lesion missed by MRI and SPECT was detected by EEG and positron emission tomography. Quantitative EEG remains a valuable tool for the demonstration of the degree of dysfunctional changes associated with a cerebral lesion. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15164820

PTSD arousal and depression symptoms and increased right-sided parietal EEG asymmetry. : Results support connection between anxiety and right-sided posterior activation, an anxious arousal subtype. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15122952

Resting frontal brain activity in teens: maternal depression and SES : Baseline EEG in high risk adolescents (mothers had history of depression) showed relative left frontal hypo-activity. Socio-economic status also predicted alpha asymmetry. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15130526

New treatment modality for fibromyalgia syndrome: hyperbaric oxygen therapy. : Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was evaluated for fibromyalgia using a control group. The HBO group showed a reduction in tender points and increase in pain threshold after the first and fifteenth therapy sessions. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15174219

It's difficult to assess intelligence across species as each species is perfectly fitted to its niche. Except in those rare instances when a species is transitioning to another niche, such as ourselves, brains only grow to the size that are needed. "It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value." Arthur C Clarke may be right. I believe intelligence is self-awareness that survives. Bacteria survive, as do cockroaches, but they lack self-awareness, at least not enough to make them pets. But survival is key to the game. Will our brains serve us well when asteroids and comets drop by for a visit, as they periodically do? Intelligence will ultimately be proven in the celestial sphere. When Jupiter fails to divert early solar system debris from inner planetary orbits, if our kids survive, it will be proof that the parents were smart. If not, not. Unless dolphins have latent telekinetic powers, rock and dust will send oceans skyward once again on their watch. All cetaceans will fail the ultimate IQ test when next it's given. Their retreat to the sea led to a precocious start but eventual stagnation. "Those who the gods wish to destroy they first call promising," and dolphins started big, with larger brains than ours 25 million years ago, but they lacked the tools to take advantage of their intelligence. Those tools we were given -- they're called hands, and they allowed an even bigger tool to develop, history. Hands and history. Hands to manipulate the environment, and history to refine those manipulations.

In its 4 billion year tenure on Earth, life has witnessed at least five mass extinctions, and 200 smaller ones. One thing we do know: Mass extinctions are like clockwork, happening every 100 million years or so. Ordovician (435 million years ago), Devonian (357 MYA), Permian (250 MYA), Triassic (198 MYA), and Cretaceous (65 MYA) - they are the reason epochs end and new ones begin. They are the reason epochs in the plural exist at all. The most devastating mass extinction was the Permian, when 95% of marine species and 8 of 27 insect orders were lost, the latter being a missed opportunity on the other 19 orders. Except for a bad spell of weather in the Ordovician, rocks from space caused all of our mass extinctions. Most older kids know that the dinosaurs died off millions of years ago, and that dinosaurs were not very smart in general. Many scientists are trying to revise our thinking of these saurian beasts, that some raised their young, hunted socially, etc. But the ends justifies the means (of characterization). Extinction does not equal intelligence.

Maybe intelligence should be measured as response to adversity, how well one responds to failure. Bill Clinton lost his re-election as governor of Arkansas, and responded so intelligently that he won the presidency a decade later. FDR lost the use of his legs, but not his wit and his country and government survived the war. Perhaps we should remove digit span and verbal comprehension from the WAIS and replace it with front page news. After each tragic story is reported on, the examiner would ask, now you're the victim, what do you do next? Or now you're the suspect, what do you do about it?

But I digress.

This week it was determined that premature boys possess smaller brains than full-term boys, especially less white matter. But size isn't everything, as guys tend to say. Albert Einstein wore a smaller hat than average, 170 grams less (1230 g vs 1400 g). Quantity does not ensure quality in wetware. Absolute size doesn't reflect absolute intelligence. In fact the largest brain on this planet swims in it, 9200 g, belonging to the sperm whale. Elephants, dolphins, and Neanderthal humans all sport or sported larger brains, the last example once again proving how quality (ours) trumps quantity (theirs). In our own species this is true: the largest human brain in history belonged to a mentally-retarded individual.

Absolute size is overrated. But relative size, ahh, there's the rub.

I doubt cows are four times smarter than sperm whales. Sperm whales hunt prey, cows are prey, so we needed a correction factor here.

Neuroscientist Harry Jerison (1973) developed such a factor. According to his sound reasoning, total brain size is equal to the brain needed to run one's body plus residual brain left over. This left-over brain can subsequently be used for higher functions like reasoning, spatial processing, and courtship. This index involves comparing everyone to an average mammal, so we can partial out the essential brain mass needed for a body size, and leave us with the residual amount. He chose the cat as the typical mammal, and compared residual to expected from that.

So how big is the human brain in cat-units. (He called it the encephalization quotient EQ but I prefer cat-units). Our EQ is large, but not the winner. The hummingbird beats us, so one last caveat: EQ indexes intelligence for those not required to suspend one's body in mid-air. For those above a 1 gram of brain mass, however, we win handily.

This is where we fall in the Great Chain of Being, not just in rank but in ratio. Three times smarter than our ape cousins, six times smarter than our household pets, and fifteen times smarter than the animals that live in the walls of our homes (mice). But more important than our place below gods and angels, his work finally provides an answer to a question which has plagued humankind since its inception: which pet is smarter, a cat or a dog?

As it turns out, human neocortex is 3.2x larger in volume than nonhuman primates with our body size. Jerison (1979) decided that intelligence is even better indexed by connectivity, and the best physical measure of connectivity that one can feasibly acquire in this lifetime is the surface area of the cortex. The cortex is a sheet of cells as thin as a DVD. As more cells squeeze onto the sheet, the brain wrinkles and folds, packing more and more surface area into the same volume. Our index of cortical folding is good in general but puny (2.86) compared to bottlenosed dolphins (4.47). Mean cortical surface area of dolphins (3745 cm2) is 50% larger than humans' (2275 cm2). But their cortex is a 98-lb weakling in terms of width. It's relatively thin, 1.76 mm at its thickest, where we muscle in at 2.9 mm, so our cortical volume tops out at 660 g, compared to 560g for our aquatic brethren.

Perhaps the lesson in all of this topsy-turvy comparison of brain-power is that there will never be a perfect correspondence between mind and matter. The wiring diagram is too complex for the wiring to capture it. In fact, given the complexity of our wiring, and all the probabilities of something going astray at any time between conception to the present, it's an even bigger mystery how any of us turned out right at all.