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Clue to Einstein's genius

Ian Sample

London: Scientists may be a step closer to understanding one of the most brilliant minds ever to grace the field — that of Albert Einstein, the man who unravelled the mysteries of the atom.

Researchers at Lausanne University identified an unknown role for a type of brain cell, which Einstein is thought to have had in more copious supply than the average male. The scientists said the cells provide energy for neural circuits and help build connections, leading to a more complex brain structure.

The team, lead by Andrea Volterra, investigated specialised cells known as glial cells, which, it was originally believed, helped hold neurons together but did little else. In recent years the cells have given up some of their secrets and are now thought to play a crucial role in brain activity. Researchers found that Glial cells ferry calcium to surrounding neurons and control messages around the brain.

In 1985, scientists at the University of California in Berkeley published anatomical studies of slivers of Einstein's brain after counting the different cells in the organ. They found the only difference between his brain and those of dead doctors was a greater ratio of glial cells to neurons.

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

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