A recent study from UC Berkeley reveals a connection between the depth of brain grooves and reasoning skills in children and adolescents. Published on May 19, 2025, in *The Journal of Neuroscience*, the research indicates that deeper tertiary sulci, small grooves on the brain's surface, correlate with enhanced brain connectivity.
The study, led by Kevin Weiner and Silvia Bunge, found that deeper grooves are associated with greater connectivity between the lateral prefrontal cortex and lateral parietal cortex. These brain regions are critical for high-level cognitive functions. The grooves may shorten the distance between these areas, potentially speeding up communication and improving neural efficiency.
These findings suggest that variations in tertiary sulci could explain individual differences in cognitive performance. According to Weiner and Bunge, these grooves might serve as diagnostic indicators for reasoning ability or neurodevelopmental disorders. The research team aims to further explore the role of sulci in brain function and cognition.
The study involved 43 participants aged 7 to 18. Using fMRI, the researchers analyzed brain activity during a reasoning task, revealing that the depth of specific sulci is associated with higher network centrality in prefrontal and parietal regions.