Brain Size, Lachs and Bagels

Courtesy of Yet Another Weird SF fan, this article from the Virginia Commonwealth University about Brain Size and Intelligence :

People with bigger brains are smarter than their smaller-brained counterparts, according to a study conducted by a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher published in the journal “Intelligence.”

The study, published on line June 16, could settle a long-standing scientific debate about the relationship between brain size and intelligence. Ever since German anatomist and physiologist Frederick Tiedmann wrote in 1836 that there exists “an indisputable connection between the size of the brain and the mental energy displayed by the individual man,” scientists have been searching for biological evidence to prove his claim.

“For all age and sex groups, it is now very clear that brain volume and intelligence are related,” said lead researcher Michael A. McDaniel, Ph.D., an industrial and organizational psychologist who specializes in the study of intelligence and other predictors of job performance.

The trouble is, that much of the human brain is devoted to motor control, rather than thought or perception. The bigger you are, the more processing power you need to keep the same degree of co-ordination and intellect, so direct comparisons of brain volume without taking into account musculature will be erroneous. But all other things being equal - a rare state that - yes, the larger the brain, the higher the intellect.

In another related post, it's provide conclusively that lachs and cream cheese are perfect foods for increasing brainpower. The role of bagels (toasted or otherwise) is not mentioned, but you have to get the calories from somewhere.