Analysis of Bill Gates' Brain based on his recent Harvard Speech

Analysis of Bill Gates' Brain based on his recent Harvard Speech
Bill Gates delivered a very inspiring commencement speech
in Harvard on June 7th. I recommend reading his full
Remarks and reflecting on his core message, which may be
summarized in its last sentence:

"And I hope you will come back here to Harvard 30 years
from now and reflect on what you have done with your talent
and your energy. I hope you will judge yourselves not on
your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how
well you have addressed the world's deepest inequities ? on
how well you treated people a world away who have nothing
in common with you but their humanity."

A noteworthy aspect of the speech was the display of what
neuroscientists call Executive Functions, which are located
in our Frontal Lobes-the part of our brains that enable us
to learn and adapt to new environments. The brain region
that makes a "sharp brain".

See here Bill Gates' advice on how to find solutions in
complex environments-and how he applies a learned pattern
to guide his actions in the field of AIDS prevention. A
great example of those Executive Funcions in action:

- "Cutting through complexity to find a solution runs
through four predictable stages: determine a goal, find the
highest-leverage approach, discover the ideal technology
for that approach, and in the meantime, make the smartest
application of the technology that you already have -
whether it's something sophisticated, like a drug, or
something simpler, like a bednet."

- "The AIDS epidemic offers an example. The broad goal, of
course, is to end the disease. The highest-leverage
approach is prevention. The ideal technology would be a
vaccine that gives lifetime immunity with a single dose. So
governments, drug companies, and foundations fund vaccine
research. But their work is likely to take more than a
decade, so in the meantime, we have to work with what we
have in hand ? and the best prevention approach we have now
is getting people to avoid risky behavior."

- "The final step ? after seeing the problem and finding an
approach ? is to measure the impact of your work and share
your successes and failures so that others learn from your
efforts."

Incredibly insightful. How is he able to think in such a
way? what kind of brain is helping him? how did his
lifelong experiences help in shaping his brain? Certainly,
good advice for us all.

Here you have a relevant fragment of my recent interview
with Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg (EG), renowned neuroscientist
and author of The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the
Civilized Mind.

Alvaro Fernandez: "Please tell us more about what the
Frontal Lobes are"

EG: "We researchers typically call them the Executive
Brain. The prefrontal cortex is young by evolutionary
terms, and is the brain area critical to adapt to new
situations, plan for the future, and self-regulate our
actions in order to achieve long-term objectives. We could
say that that part of the brain, right behind our forehead,
acts as the conductor of an orchestra, directing and
integrating the work of other parts of the brain."

EG: "I provide a good example in The Executive Brain book,
where I explain how I was able to organize my escape from
Russia into the US."

EG: "Significantly, the pathways that connect the frontal
lobes with the rest of the brain are slow to mature,
reaching full operational state between ages 18 and 30, or
maybe even later. And, given that they are not as
hard-wired as other parts of the brain, they are typically
the first areas to decline."

Well, I'd say Mr. Gates has pretty mature and solid
pathways and frontal lobes, as shown by his quotes above
and hos track record!

Now you may be wondering, "Can you please give us a bit
more detail on what those Executive Functions are?". OK,
here you have a quick overview:

- Planning: foresight in devising multi-step strategies.

- Flexibility: capacity for quickly switching to the
appropriate mental mode.

- Inhibition: the ability to withstand distraction, and
internal urges.

- Anticipation: prediction based on pattern recognition.

- Critical evaluation: logical analysis.

- Working memory: capacity to hold and manipulate
information "on-line" in our minds in real time.

- Fuzzy logic: capacity to choose with incomplete
information.

- Divided attention: ability to pay attention to more than
one thing at a time.

- Decision-making: both quality and speed.

A highly recommended book, if you are interested in
learning more about Executive Functions and Frontal Lobes,
is The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized
Mind , by Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg.

Now you know many things to impress your colleagues with
:-) Good luck with exercising those Frontal Lobes!

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Alvaro Fernandez is the CEO and Co-Founder of SharpBrains,
which provides the latest science-based information for
Brain Health and Brain Fitness, and reviews programs such
as MindFit, Posit Science, emWave, IntelliGym, Cogmed, and
more. Dozens of publications, such as Scientific American
Mind, CBS, Forbes, MSNBC, Seattle Times, New York Post,
have highlighted SharpBrains website and information. Check
http://www.sharpbrains.com/hottopics .