How smart are you, really? A quick fMRI brain scan will tell you

By Lulu Chang October 13, 2015

parkinsons disease brain cells reprogrammed scan

IQ tests are so last decade. Now, if you really want to know how smart you are (and be warned, some things are better left undiscovered), you should probably get an fMRI scan. A new study published in Nature suggests that not only is your brain activity about as unique as your fingerprint, but also reveals some pretty compelling evidence as to how smart you are. As it turns out, some brains really are just better than others in that they’re wired more efficiently and more effectively.

In conducting their study, researchers examined the fMRI scans of 126 human subjects and attempted to predict their success on motor, memory and intelligence tests. Key to their predictions were the brain’s connectomes, which refers to how different areas of the brain communicate with one another. Over the last five years, the Human Connectome Project has attempted to map out exactly how synapses fire and “talk” to one another, and as it turns out, the more they’re chatting, the “smarter” you are.

“The more certain regions are talking to one another, the better you’re able to process information quickly and make inferences,” Emily Finn, a Yale grad student and study co-author told Wired. In particular, the more your frontal and parietal lobes are in contact with one another, the more fluid intelligence you have — that is, your abstract reasoning abilities.

Of course, just because your fMRI scans suggest a lot of inter-brain communication doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be more successful or even more intelligent than your peers. After all, “What happens in an MRI scanner isn’t what happens in daily life,” Judy Illes, a neuroethicist at the University of British Columbia points out to Wired.

Still, the most impressive aspect of this latest study lies in scientists’ newfound ability to carefully analyze the unique communication maps in neural connections. Ultimately, researchers believe, this may allow us to predict human behavior, better customize educational plans, and even create unique healthcare setups for individuals based on their brain scans.

It’s still a ways away, but one day soon, movies like The Minority Report may be more fact than fiction.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Emerging Tech

Neuroscientists can tell if you knowingly committed a crime based on brain scans

brain scan crime tomography

Neuroscientists around the world are trying to uncover the secrets of the brain by studying images of it. That's no easy task -- the human brain is arguably the most sophisticated thing in existence and it has proven difficult to decipher. But a team of researchers have found that brain images reveal whether someone committed a crime knowingly or recklessly. It may seem like a small distinction but it could have a significant impact in the courtroom.

The United States Model Penal Code considers criminal culpability through the lens of a suspect’s awareness and intentions. Someone who knew they were acting against the law is subject to stricter penalties than someone who didn’t. More precisely, a suspect’s actions are considered on a scale of severity that includes purposeful, knowing, reckless, and negligent.

Mobile

What’s that, boy? You want a smart collar that really understands you? How about this one

jagger lewis smart dog collar news 1

We’re all attuned to the behavior of our pets, so we generally have a good idea when something isn’t right, or when there’s a need for something more. Usually food or play. However, our pet-sense is no use when we’re not around, either at work, or on vacation while our pet is having a little break away from home, too. The Jagger and Lewis Smart Dog Collar, a new product launched on Kickstarter, is designed to bridge that gap, by understanding your dog’s behavior, actions, and mood.

Cleverly, the Jagger & Lewis is a small device that attaches to your dog’s current collar, so there’s no need to swap it for one you may not like, or to avoid buying another collar in the future because you would not be able to use the tracking unit. It’s light at 30 grams, water resistant with an IP67 rating, and suitable for all dogs, almost regardless of size. Inside, the unit has an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope, plus a microphone, and temperature and brightness sensors.

Emerging Tech

Superfast fMRI is first to track human brain activity during thought

fmri human brain tech mri feat

Some amazing things are possible using functional MRI (fMRI) technology, but until now it’s still resembled somewhat of a blunt instrument in some ways: able to spot trends in thought, but not quite quick enough to detect the kind of subtle neuronal activity that’s associated with higher order brain functions.

That may be changing thanks to new rapid fMRI technology, capable of detecting brain oscillations around 10 times faster than previously possible. This is possible using the same MRI scanner, but by utilizing a new pulse sequence technique -- a bit like an over-the-air software upgrade that doesn’t require any change in hardware.