Famous Russian brains: historical attempts to understand intelligence

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neuroanatomy
• History of Science

Background:

• Russian scientists have a history of investigating the neuroanatomical basis of exceptional mental capacity.
• Research into brain anatomy was a significant focus in Russian universities.

Observation:

• A structured collection of elite Russian brains began in 1924 with V. I. Lenin's brain.
• The Moscow Brain Research Institute, founded in 1928, houses brains of notable neuroscientists.
• The study of A. Ya. Kozhevnikov and S. S. Korsakov's brains, published in 1925, remains largely unknown.

Findings:

• A 1925 report detailed neuroanatomical assessments of Kozhevnikov and Korsakov's brains.
• Both brains exhibited considerable weight, left hemisphere predominance, and complex frontal and parietal lobe convolutions.
• These parameters were hypothesized to indicate exceptional mental capacity.

Implications:

• The (re)discovery of these autopsy records offers historical insights into early neuroanatomical studies.
• It highlights the contributions of Russian scientists to understanding brain structure and function.
• The findings underscore the historical pursuit of correlating neuroanatomy with cognitive abilities.