Experiences shape our brain structure

Until just a few decades ago, scientists believed that the human brain had few or no individual characteristics. Now, a group of researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) working with neuropsychologist Lutz Jäncke have been able to demonstrate that every person has a unique brain anatomy.

In previous studies, Jäncke was able to show that the brains of professional musicians or chess players, for example, have particular characteristics in the regions of the brain that they use the most for their skilled activity. However, events of shorter duration can also leave behind traces in the brain. For example, a broken arm affects the brain’s cortex in the areas responsible for controlling the injured arm.

“We suspected that those experiences having an effect on the brain interact with the genetic make-up so that over the course of years every person develops a completely individual brain anatomy,” Jäncke said in a statement.

To investigate this hypothesis, his research group examined the brain anatomy of 191 people over a period of two years. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that for each of the 191 people, there was an individual combination of specific brain anatomical characteristics, allowing each person to be accurately identified.

“With our study we were able to confirm that the structure of people’s brains is very individual,” said Jäncke. “The combination of genetic and non-genetic influences clearly affects not only the functioning of the brain, but also its anatomy.”