The Biological Mind

“What if your ‘self’ isn’t just in your brain, but emerges from the delicate interplay between your brain, body, and environment?”

1. The Myth of the Mystical Brain

For centuries, people have regarded the brain as something otherworldly—a near-divine entity housing the mind and soul. This perception is deeply rooted in cultural and historic narratives, which portray the brain as more than just a physical organ. Franz Gall’s phrenology in the 1800s, for instance, exemplified the fascination with the brain by linking personality traits to specific regions of the skull, though his ideas were scientifically unfounded.

This notion of the brain as transcendental led to the “cerebral mystique.” We elevate it above other organs, even to the extent of avoiding it as food, despite its nutritional value. Early humans once consumed animal brains for sustenance, but today, cultural taboos prevail, especially in the West.

Modern media reinforces this mystique by showing brains in ethereal visuals—floating in glowing, detached images. While we now understand more about the brain's physical intricacies, the myth of its mystical nature still influences how we think about its role in defining who we are.

Examples

• Phrenology once linked brain shape to personal traits, becoming a sensation even though it lacked scientific validity.
• Media images often depict the brain as luminous and solitary, perpetuating its otherworldly status.
• Brain consumption, once common, is now taboo in many cultures due to its association with the mind and soul.

2. The Brain as a Biological Organ

The brain isn’t a dry, mechanical object like a computer but a messy, fluid-filled, living organ tethered to the body’s physicality. Calling the brain a computer draws a misleading comparison, ignoring its biological complexity. While it does process information, the brain is far from being a circuit board.

Half of the brain consists of glia cells, which scientists initially overlooked, assuming their primary role was providing structural support. However, recent studies reveal that these cells partake in memory and cognitive functions. Additionally, cerebrospinal fluid fills one-fifth of the brain and contributes essential nutrients and signaling chemicals.

Research demonstrates that when human glial cells were implanted in mice, the animals’ intelligence increased significantly. These findings emphasize that the brain’s operation hinges not just on its neurons but its broader biological ecosystem.

Examples

• Early metaphors likened the brain to objects like chariots or telephones, hinting at its complexity.
• Glial cells were found to play significant roles in cognitive processes, contradicting earlier assumptions.
• Mice with human glial cell implants performed tasks faster than counterparts lacking the implants.

3. Complexity Doesn’t Equal Impossibility

While the brain is enormously complex—with its 60 billion neurons forming trillions of connections—this complexity shouldn’t overshadow its comprehensibility. Neuroscientists are beginning to uncover its workings by breaking it into smaller, more manageable systems.

Simplifying this complexity, science shows that brains can function well with less. In one case from China, a woman missing 80 percent of her cerebellum was able to live a mostly normal life. Additionally, in the animal kingdom, birds like ravens demonstrate advanced behaviors despite their relatively small brains.

Rather than mapping every neuron’s connections, scientists are focusing on cortical columns—compact structures responsible for distinct functions. These units may hold the key to demystifying the brain’s operations.

Examples

• A Chinese woman without most of her cerebellum functioned relatively normally.
• Tiny bird brains enable tool use and sophisticated problem-solving behaviors.
• Cortical columns offer a systematic way to study isolated brain functions.

4. The Limits of Brain Imaging

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) seems to offer a clear window into the brain. However, it has significant limitations. fMRI relies on tracking blood flow to discern brain activity, providing only rough approximations of what’s happening at the cellular level.

Its images are processed composites, which opens them to errors. A famous experiment exposed these flaws by claiming to find brain activity in a dead salmon—a quirk of statistical noise. Additionally, media hype often sensationalizes fMRI findings, leading to exaggerated claims about emotional or cognitive functions.

While brain imaging remains an innovative tool, it requires cautious interpretation. Relying solely on these techniques can oversimplify or distort the complexity of our thoughts and behaviors.

Examples

• fMRI tracks blood flow, missing small change areas of neural activity.
• A dead salmon “appeared” active in an fMRI due to processing errors.
• Reports exaggerated findings, such as linking smartphone usage to love based on insular cortex activation.

5. Brain and Body Work in Harmony

It’s a mistake to regard the brain as a lone decision-maker. Instead, the brain and body act as collaborators. For example, the gut microbiome—trillions of microorganisms in your digestive system—directly affects mental health, influencing stress levels, anxiety, and emotional states.

Hormonal systems also exemplify this partnership. When faced with danger, your species-wide fight-or-flight response is activated by the brain-pituitary-adrenal axis, pumping your body with adrenaline and cortisol. These physical reactions shape how you think and feel in high-stress scenarios.

This interplay shows that separating the brain from the body results in incomplete perceptions about how thoughts and feelings arise.

Examples

• Transplanting a bold mouse’s microbiome into a timid mouse changed its behavior.
• The brain and adrenal gland collaborate to produce fight-or-flight responses.
• Studies link changes in gut health to mood and emotional shifts in humans.

6. Environment Shapes the Brain

External surroundings exert powerful influences on cognition, often in ways we don’t even notice. Sensory inputs bombard your brain with data, constantly shaping its responses.

For instance, seasonal changes influence mood. Shorter days in winter lead to lower light exposure, increasing the brain’s melatonin production, which in turn can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Similarly, unintentional environmental cues like noise or lighting can disrupt your focus or relaxation.

These examples show how external forces steer brain activity and, ultimately, behavior.

Examples

• SAD arises when low light exposure triggers excessive melatonin in the brain.
• Crowded cafés or noisy environments can make mental tasks challenging.
• Forty percent of the brain is devoted to processing sensory information.

7. Behavior Results From Complex Causes

Addressing human behavior solely from the lens of brain activity doesn’t provide the full picture. Both internal and external conditions play a role. For example, Charles Whitman, who committed a mass shooting in 1966, had a brain tumor affecting his emotions. Yet his history, social environment, and access to firearms all contributed too.

Teenagers often act impulsively, which some attribute to underdeveloped prefrontal cortices. However, societal treatment of teens—granting them limited independence—also affects their behavior. Rigidly focusing on the brain’s role can neglect the impact of environmental or social influences.

Examples

• Whitman’s violence stemmed from a mix of internal and external factors.
• Teen brain development doesn’t fully explain impulsive actions; societal forces apply too.
• Both biological and contextual contributors shape personalities.

8. Mental Illness Beyond the Brain

Viewing mental illness solely as a brain disorder can limit our understanding. For example, conditions such as depression often arise from the combined influence of genetic predisposition and external factors like social environment, unemployment, or support networks.

Additionally, treating mental illness as a biological defect risks reinforcing stigmas. Historical atrocities, like sterilizing psychiatric patients based on “broken brain” theories, show the consequences of these views.

More holistic approaches are crucial when addressing mental health. Fixing societal structures that exacerbate psychological problems can be as impactful as treating the conditions individually.

Examples

• Depression links to both brain activity and socioeconomic stressors.
• Patients once faced sterilization due to “broken brain” stigmas.
• Syphilis-induced mental illness is caused by a bacterium, not the brain itself.

9. Limitations of Brain Hacking

Transhumanist dreams of brain augmentation—speaking new languages instantly or connecting our brains to the internet—face steep challenges. While breakthroughs like robotic arm control via brain implants are real, they don’t make full-body interventions obsolete.

Targeted muscle reinnervation, a method of attaching tech to nerve endings outside the brain, offers a safer and more practical alternative to surgeries inside the skull. Moreover, brain upgrades risk economic inequality if only affluent people have access to such advancements.

These hurdles make external enhancements a wiser focus compared to direct brain intervention.

Examples

• Brain implants allowed a paralyzed individual to control a robotic arm.
• Muscle-based tech restored functionality without brain surgery.
• High costs of nootropics highlight potential disparities from these technologies.

Takeaways

1. Seek a balanced view—appreciate biological and environmental effects on the brain.
2. Question sensational science claims, especially when based on imaging technologies.
3. Advocate holistic solutions for mental illness by addressing both individual and societal factors.