ALTERATIONS IN CORTICAL THICKNESS AND NEURONAL DENSITY IN THE FRONTAL-CORTEX OF EINSTEIN,ALBERT

Neuronal density, neuron size, and the number of neurons under 1 mm(2) of cerebral cortical surface area were measured in the right pre-fron tal cortex of Albert Einstein and five elderly control subjects. Measu rement of neuronal density used the optical dissector technique on cel loidin-embedded cresyl violet-stained sections. The neurons counted pr ovided a systematic random sample for the measurement of cell body cro ss-sectional area. Einstein's cortex did not differ from the control s ubjects in the number of neurons under 1 mm(2) of cerebral cortex or i n mean neuronal size. Because Einstein's cortex was thinner than the c ontrols he had a greater neuronal density.