最新研究：聪明的大脑神经元更高效

While previous research has suggested bigger brains are indeed smarter, a closer look at the microstructural architecture suggests it's not just a matter of more brain cells, as much as more efficiently connected ones.

以往研究显示：大脑越大越聪明(注：此说法不太准确)。如今，一项探究大脑微观结构的新研究表明：高智商者的大脑皮层的神经元连接数量较少。也就是说，智商不仅在于神经元数量，也在于神经元的连接效率。

An international team of neurologists used a non-invasive technique known as multi-shell diffusion tensor imaging to get an idea of the density and branching arrangements of the grey matter inside the heads of just under 260 volunteers.Each subject also took a culturally fair complex reasoning test, producing a variety of scores ranging from 7 to 27 correct answers out of a possible 28.

研究团队招募了大约260位志愿者，利用“弥散张量成像”技术(一种非侵入式技术)，探究他们大脑灰质的密度和支路分布。此外，志愿者还进行了复杂的推理测验——该测验不受文化背景的影响，总共设置28道问题。他们的得分在7-27分之间。

Matching the imaging data with the test scores, the researchers found that those with higher analytical skills not only had more brain cells, they also tended to have fewer branches between the neurons in their cerebral cortex.They then turned to a database of nearly 500 neural maps within the Human Connectome Project, and found the same pattern of higher IQ and lower interconnectivity.

研究人员结合成像数据和测验分数，发现：拥有较高分析能力的人不仅拥有更多大脑细胞，而且大脑皮层的神经元连接数量较少。后来，他们调查了“人类连接组项目”的近500幅神经图谱，发现了同样的规律。

At first this might seem counterintuitive. The old idiom 'more hands make light work' might apply to brain cells, but in this case those extra hands don't seem to be passing more information between them.Previous research had shown that in spite of having more brain cells to share the heavy lifting, smarter brains don't tend to work as hard, displaying less metabolic activity when subjected to an IQ test compared with those who struggle to attain high scores.This observation has led to the development of the neural efficiency hypothesis, which suggests the analytical power of groups of nerve cells isn't about pushing them harder, but about them being connected in a way that minimises effort.

乍一听，这似乎有点违背直觉，神经元连接数量难道不是越多越好吗?其实不然。曾有研究显示，尽管拥有更多大脑细胞，但在IQ测试中，高智商者的代谢活动反而比普通人低。这两项研究结果都指向“神经效能假说”，即神经细胞群的分析能力不在于增加工作细胞的数量，而在于找到最不费力的连接方式。

"Intelligent brains are characterised by a slim but efficient network of their neurons," says neurologist Erhan Genç from Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany."This makes it possible to achieve a high level of thinking with the least possible neural activity."

德国波鸿鲁尔大学的神经学家Erhan Genç表示：

聪明大脑的神经元连接网络精简但高效，能够以最少的神经活动实现高水平的思维。

Research on intelligence is often complicated by questions of definition and interpretations of IQ testing, so we need to refrain from generalising the results too far beyond the scope of the experiment.

智商研究通常存在局限，它受到具体IQ测验的限制。因此，我们不能过分推广结论。

Brains do a number of awesome things, with analytical reasoning making up just a part of its diverse cognitive skill set.

大脑拥有很多功能，而分析推理能力只是众多认知能力中的一项。

It might not help us all become geniuses, but it does show there's merit in working smarter, and not harder.

看来，在学习和工作的过程中，提升绩效的关键不在于哼哧哼哧地瞎努力，而在于找到最不费力的方法。