BehindTheMedspeak: Where does wisdom come from?

On the surface not an obvious candidate subject for this feature, but that's the point: we're drilling down deep.

From researchers at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine comes evidence that there is indeed a neurobiological pathway and specific brain circuitry associated with attributes such as empathy, compassion, emotional stability, self-understanding and tolerance for others' values.

The scientists concluded that several brain regions are involved and suggested that the neurobiology of wisdom is based on a balance between primitive brain regions such as the limbic system and more recently developed areas, namely the pre-frontal cortex.

But don't take my word for it: here's the abstract of a scientific report on the subject; it appeared in the April, 2009 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

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Neurobiology of Wisdom: A Literature Overview

Context  Wisdom is a unique psychological trait noted since antiquity, long discussed in humanities disciplines, recently operationalized by psychology and sociology researchers, but largely unexamined in psychiatry or biology.

Objective  To discuss recent neurobiological studies related to subcomponents of wisdom identified from several published definitions/descriptions of wisdom by clinical investigators in the field, ie, prosocial attitudes/behaviors, social decision making/pragmatic knowledge of life, emotional homeostasis, reflection/self-understanding, value relativism/tolerance, and acknowledgment of and dealing effectively with uncertainty.

Data Sources  Literature focusing primarily on neuroimaging/brain localization and secondarily on neurotransmitters, including their genetic determinants.

Study Selection Studies involving functional neuroimaging or neurotransmitter functioning, examining human (rather than animal) subjects, and identified via a PubMed search using keywords from any of the 6 proposed subcomponents of wisdom were included.

Data Extraction  Studies were reviewed by both of us, and data considered to be potentially relevant to the neurobiology of wisdom were extracted.

Data Synthesis  Functional neuroimaging permits exploration of neural correlates of complex psychological attributes such as those proposed to comprise wisdom. The prefrontal cortex figures prominently in several wisdom subcomponents (eg, emotional regulation, decision making, value relativism), primarily via top-down regulation of limbic and striatal regions. The lateral prefrontal cortex facilitates calculated, reason-based decision making, whereas the medial prefrontal cortex is implicated in emotional valence and prosocial attitudes/behaviors. Reward neurocircuitry (ventral striatum, nucleus accumbens) also appears important for promoting prosocial attitudes/behaviors. Monoaminergic activity (especially dopaminergic and serotonergic), influenced by several genetic polymorphisms, is critical to certain subcomponents of wisdom such as emotional regulation (including impulse control), decision making, and prosocial behaviors.

Conclusions We have proposed a speculative model of the neurobiology of wisdom involving frontostriatal and frontolimbic circuits and monoaminergic pathways. Wisdom may involve optimal balance between functions of phylogenetically more primitive brain regions (limbic system) and newer ones (prefrontal cortex). Limitations of the putative model are stressed. It is hoped that this review will stimulate further research in characterization, assessment, neurobiology, and interventions related to wisdom.

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Which reminds of one of my favorite jokes, which I used to tell anesthesia residents after they'd messed up.

A young seminarian approaches an aged priest who's the go-to guy for all manner of crises.

"Father," he says, "everyone comes to you when they're at wit's end and presents you with their most difficult problems, yet you never seem to have any trouble cutting through the difficulties and helping find the best course of action."

"It's pretty much true," replied the priest.

"How can I learn to do what you do?" asked the student.

"Oh, it's not really very hard," said the priest. "All you need is good judgment."

"But Father," said the young man,"how, exactly, do I acquire good judgment?"

Replied the priest, "Many years of bad judgment."

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Want more on the subject?

Great, you're in luck; links to stories in Scientific American, Science Daily and other publications about the scientific report are here.