A comprehensive structural MRI analysis revealing the neural architecture behind working memory fragility, cognitive compensation, and why some brains need external scaffolding to thrive.
My right cerebellum is doing disproportionate work, particularly a region called Lobule VI (+21% larger than the left). This enlarged structure projects through a normal thalamic relay to my left motor cortex, which is thicker but biologically older—showing signs of decades of heavy demand.
The left hemisphere is aging faster than the right (3-7 years older across most structures), with language regions most affected (7-10 years older than chronological age). Meanwhile, midline structures are reduced—brainstem, cerebellar vermis—while the brain has lateralized processing to the hemispheres.
The good news: overall brain age is normal (43.71 vs. my actual age of 44), and critical structures like the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia are entirely typical. The system is functioning, but it's working hard—and the wear shows in specific regions.
Imagine one side of my "coordination center" (cerebellum) grew bigger to help out more. It's like having one really strong arm that does most of the lifting—it works, but that arm gets tired.
The "relay station" (thalamus) that passes messages between brain parts? Totally normal. All 13 of its pieces are working fine. The traffic jam isn't on the highway—it's at the destination.
The left side of my brain looks older than the right—like it's been working overtime for years. Especially the parts that handle language and talking. They've been busy!
Instead of using the middle parts of my brain equally, my brain shifted work to the sides— especially the left. It's like favoring one leg when you walk. You get there, but differently.
The "thinking" part (prefrontal cortex)? Normal size and thickness. The "habit" parts (basal ganglia)? All normal. The overall age of my brain? Perfect. The foundation is solid.
This isn't a "broken brain" story. It's a "hard-working brain with some parts showing wear" story. Like a car with lots of miles—runs fine, but you can tell it's been driven.
The most robust finding—replicated across three independent analyses.
| Structure | Finding | Normal Range | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cerebellum Asymmetry | +7.70% R>L | -2.86% to +4.47% | Outside Normal |
| Lobule VI Asymmetry | +21.23% R>L | -15.72% to +14.87% | Outside Normal |
| Cerebellar Gray Matter | +8.37% R>L | -1.70% to +5.97% | Outside Normal |
| Cerebellar White Matter | 1.40-1.76% | 1.56-2.89% | Below Normal |
Every subcortical structure shows the left side biologically older than the right.
| Region | Left Age | Right Age | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporal Lobe (avg) | 53.1 years | 46.9 years | L is 6.2 yrs older |
| Insular/Opercular (avg) | 52.4 years | 45.2 years | L is 7.2 yrs older |
| Subcortical (avg) | 48.7 years | 45.2 years | L is 3.5 yrs older |
| Right Occipital Pole | 54.95 years | 58.73 years | +14.7 yrs above chrono |
Critical structures that are entirely typical—often more informative than the differences.
| Structure | Finding | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Prefrontal Cortex (Volume & Thickness) | Normal | Working memory issues aren't from obvious PFC deficits |
| All 13 Thalamic Nuclei | Normal | The relay station is NOT the bottleneck |
| Basal Ganglia (all structures) | Normal | This is a cerebellar story, not a basal ganglia story |
| Total Hippocampus | Normal | Long-term memory architecture is intact |
| Overall Brain Age | 43.71 years | Global brain health is good (chrono: 44) |
The brain appears organized away from midline processing toward lateralized processing.
| Structure | Finding | Normal Range | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brainstem | 1.12-1.23% | 1.15-1.64% | Below Normal |
| Cerebellar Vermis VI-VII | 0.12-0.15% | 0.15-0.23% | Below Normal |
| 3rd Ventricle | 0.127-0.137% | 0.006-0.123% | Above Normal |
This isn't a story of pathology or deficit. It's a story of a brain that organized itself differently—lateralizing processing, developing one cerebellar hemisphere more than the other, and adapting to its own architecture over 44 years.
The structures showing "wear" are the ones that have been working hardest. That's not failure—that's evidence of decades of successful compensation.
The prefrontal cortex is structurally normal—both volume and thickness. So why the working memory challenges? The answer may lie in circuit dynamics rather than local tissue deficits.
When the cerebellum (a "timing" and "prediction" structure) is asymmetric and the receiving cortex shows signs of strain, the coordination between structures may be where the challenge lives.
The left temporal lobe—home to language processing—shows the most dramatic aging (7-10 years older than chronological). For someone with constant internal verbal processing, recursive thinking, and decades of intense linguistic computation, this makes sense.
The wear is where the work is.
If the brain's internal coordination circuits are working at capacity, external tools become essential— not optional. The 700+ browser tabs, the detailed documentation systems, the AI partnerships for real-time processing... these aren't crutches.
They're appropriate infrastructure for a cognitive architecture that needs external buffering because the internal coordination systems are already running at full capacity.
Detailed parcellation of all cerebellar lobules showing rightward asymmetry pattern.
| Lobule | Function | Asymmetry | Normal Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lobule VI | Motor planning, cognition | +21.23% R>L | -15.72% to +14.87% |
| Crus I | Executive function | +7.80% R>L | -12.30% to +17.83% |
| Crus II | Cognitive processing | +13.22% R>L | -16.67% to +23.91% |
| Lobule VIIIA | Sensorimotor | +12.39% R>L | -27.30% to +19.95% |
| Lobule VIIIB | Sensorimotor | +12.93% R>L | -28.82% to +26.98% |
| Lobule IX | Vestibular | +4.92% R>L | -9.69% to +15.90% |
Total hippocampus normal, but CA2-CA3 subfield shows rightward asymmetry.
| Subfield | Function | Asymmetry | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA1 | Memory encoding/retrieval | -3.31% L>R | Normal |
| CA2-CA3 | Social memory, pattern separation | +22.27% R>L | Outside normal |
| CA4-DG | Pattern separation | +8.35% R>L | Normal |
| Subiculum | Output to cortex | -3.68% L>R | Normal |
All 13 thalamic nuclei within normal bounds. Motor relay nuclei show subtle leftward asymmetry consistent with receiving input from enlarged right cerebellum.
| Nucleus | Function | Volume % | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLPN | Motor relay (cerebellum) | 0.121% | Normal |
| VLAN | Motor relay (cerebellum) | 0.014% | Normal |
| Pulvinar | Visual attention | 0.174% | Normal |
| Mediodorsal | Executive function | 0.093% | Normal |
| VAN | Motor planning | 0.038% | Normal |
| Centromedian | Arousal, attention | 0.018% | Normal |
| LGN | Visual relay | 0.010% | Normal |
| MGN | Auditory relay | 0.011% | Normal |
Biological age estimates for brain regions. Left hemisphere consistently older.
| Structure | Right Age | Left Age | Chronological: 44 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planum Temporale | 47.12 | 54.46 | +10.5 yrs (L) |
| Sup. Temporal Gyrus | 46.97 | 54.16 | +10.2 yrs (L) |
| Frontal Operculum | 43.24 | 52.41 | +8.4 yrs (L) |
| Hippocampus | 45.90 | 50.21 | +6.2 yrs (L) |
| Putamen | 45.13 | 49.52 | +5.5 yrs (L) |
| Thalamus | 45.01 | 47.84 | +3.8 yrs (L) |
| Occipital Pole | 58.73 | 54.95 | +14.7 yrs (R) |
Cortical thickness across regions. Prefrontal cortex is normal—critical negative finding.
| Region | Thickness | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Frontal Lobe (total) | 2.37 mm | Normal |
| Middle Frontal Gyrus | 2.28 mm | Normal |
| Superior Frontal Gyrus | 1.92 mm | Normal |
| Precentral Gyrus | 1.68 mm | Normal |
| Precentral Gyrus (L vs R) | 1.78 vs 1.58 mm | Left 11.8% thicker |
| Temporal Lobe | 3.15 mm | Normal |
| Parietal Lobe | 1.90 mm | Normal |
| Occipital Lobe | 2.26 mm | Normal |
Data quality metrics and analysis pipeline details.
| Analysis | SNR / Quality | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| vol2Brain | SNR 41.15 | HIGH |
| AssemblyNet | SNR 41.26, QC: A | HIGH |
| BrainStructureAges | QC: A | HIGH |
| DeepThalamus | Scale 0.96 | HIGH |
| CERES | SNR 32.23 | HIGH |
| HIPS | Scale 0.96 | HIGH |
| pBrain | SNR 17.50 | LOW (interpret with caution) |
Interactive pages with complete measurements from each volBrain analysis pipeline. Click any available report to explore the full dataset.
Structural MRI acquired as part of a UT Austin research study in May 2024. Analysis performed using volBrain's cloud-based neuroimaging platform.
| Image Source | UT Austin Research Study, May 2024 |
| Resolution | 0.8mm isotropic (T1-weighted + T2-weighted sequences) |
| Quality Grade | Research-grade — superior to standard clinical 1mm resolution |
| Analysis Platform | volBrain — 7 specialized neuroimaging pipelines |
| Normative Comparison | Age and sex-matched reference data with 95% confidence intervals |
| Cross-Validation | Key findings replicated across 2-3 independent analyses |
"Understanding my own brain architecture isn't just personal curiosity—it's proof of concept for what's possible when AI helps humans understand themselves deeply."
This is why I'm building AIs & Shine. Because if structural MRI data, AI-assisted analysis, and careful synthesis can reveal this level of insight about one brain, imagine what "Life Models" could do for millions of people who experience their minds differently.
Human. Deeply seen.
That's not just a tagline. It's what this page represents.