>> Beefy brains. Discover lists six websites that offer cerebral calisthenics. (via Utne)

>> Sad brains. Even not-yet-depressed people with a familial history of depression show a “significant thinning of the right cortex, the brain’s outermost surface.” When the left cortex thins, depression seems to kick in. Still, it’s unclear whether this thinning phenomenon’s genetic or environmental, since brain structure can change due to environmental reasons (i.e. kid’s brain may be normal at birth, but the effect of growing up with depressed parents could thin the brain).

>> Anorexic brains. As with depression and other mental disorders, anorexia appears to be a disease some people are just more biologically susceptible than others — though of course enviro-social factors play a role in turning susceptibilities into full blown disorders. “70% of the patients had suffered damage to their neurotransmitters, which help brain cells communicate with each other, had undergone subtle changes in the structure of their brains, or both.” (via Broadsheet)

>> Poverty-stricken brains. Growing up poor could change brain structure, affecting cognitive development. “A plausible contributor to the income-achievement gap is working-memory impairment in lower-income adults caused by stress-related damage to the brain during childhood,” write Cornell researchers.

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