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Single Neuron for Each Celebrity

Scientists have discovered that you have one neuron in your brain reserved for each celebrity you know; that cell is repsonsible for recognizing the face of that person alone. So, tucked away inside your brain, is one cell which codes for Paris Hilton, one for Tom Cruise, one for Halle Berry and one for Thomas Mesereau Jr., Michael Jackson's attorney with the fabulous mane of silver hair. Nature has more on this somewhat disturbing scientific finding:

Quian Quiroga also found that a lone neuron in one subject responded selectively to various pictures of the actress Halle Berry - as well as drawings of her and her name written down. Other cells were found to respond to images of characters in The Simpsons or members of The Beatles.

The team thinks that these brain cells probably respond to a range of different items, but that this limited study didn't include all the various pictures that might make a particular cell light up.

Despite appearing to find a 'Halle Berry cell', notes Martin Tovee, a neuroscientist at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, who has conducted similar research in monkeys, "nobody's saying that it's a grandmother cell". Nevertheless, the researchers say the results hint that we might use fewer brain cells to recognize familiar objects than previously thought.

Scientists said that the finding may explain why people are able to recognize celebrities even when they're at a Starbucks in dark glasses, a hat and no makeup. There's a little cell in your brain that can recognize Jennifer Aniston no matter what disguise she wears. (Via Boing Boing)

Posted on June 23, 2005

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