Einstein's Brain

NPR has a great little story about Einstein's brain.  As I mentioned in a previous post, Einstein's brain wasn't any bigger than your average brain.  What did differentiate Einstein's brain however was that he had more glia than normal.  Glia (from the Greek for "glue") were originally thought to be nothing more than the cells that hold neurons in place, but more and more we are finding out that glial cells not only moderate (and modulate) neuronal signaling but many of these cells form networks throughout the brain and signal to each other across large distances much like neurons do.  Anyway, check out the story, and, if you want to learn more about Einstein's brain and the crazy journey it has been on since it was removed from the physicist's cranium, check out Driving Mr. Albert by Michael Paterniti.