Neurobiologists have long assumed that the brain of a child with high intelligence is different from the brain of his peers with ordinary abilities. Gifted schoolchildren amaze even adult intellectuals with their talents. They can not only cope with a difficult task, but also come up with an original solution and even come up with their own task “with a trick”. In addition, they often show incredible abilities in creativity, for example, in writing bright poems with deep meaning and interesting rhymes.

In addition, their motivation to study is high. In foreign literature, the term “cognition need” was derived for this purpose. If an ordinary student is likely to be afraid of a difficult and seemingly impossible task, then a talented person will sit on it for hours and try to solve it, because the decision-making process itself gives him pleasure.

Magnetic resonance imaging showed that early childhood geniuses have a thinner cerebral cortex than other children. It starts to thicken over time but takes longer for even kids. At 11-12 years of age, the thickness of the cerebral cortex reaches its peak and then begins to decrease. The same processes proceed more slowly in children who do not have unique abilities.

Scientists have come to the conclusion that during its formation, the brain of geniuses “rejects” cells that it considers unnecessary and impairs the quality of mental activity, as a result of which such children become much smarter for their age.

“Gifted children are not smarter just because they have more gray matter at this or that age. Rather, their IQ level is related to the specific dynamics of cerebral cortex development.– said Judith Rapoport, co-author of the study.