Last Updated on April 28, 2026 by Jaspreet Kaur
New research from Stanford Medicine is changing the way we think about the brain. It is showing that when we look at brain scan data from a lot of people and average it out we might miss how each person’s brain really works. The study says that if we want to understand how the brain works we need to look at each person’s brain activity especially in kids with different learning abilities.
Beyond averages
For a time scientists have been using group averages to study the brain. This helps us see patterns but it can also hide important differences between people. The new study shows that this way of doing things might lead to ideas about how the brain controls our behavior. Stanford Medicine is doing this research.
Focus on control
The study looked at something called cognitive control, which is a big deal for our brains. It helps us focus on what we’re doing and not get distracted. This is important for things like studying, solving problems and making decisions. The researchers at Stanford Medicine found that when brain data is analyzed individually we can see patterns, especially in kids who have trouble with tasks that need a lot of focus.
Dataset
The researchers analyzed brain scans from over 4,000 kids who were 9 or 10 years old. They got this data from a project that is tracking how kids’ brains develop over time. The kids did a task that tested their ability to stop doing something when they were told to. While their brains were being scanned they had to press a button when they saw a signal. Sometimes they had to stop when they saw another signal. Stanford Medicine is using this data to understand how the brain works.
Individual patterns
When the scientists compared the group averages to the data they found some big differences. Sometimes the patterns they saw in the group were actually the opposite of what was happening in each person’s brain. For example when they looked at the group data they saw that slower reaction times were linked to brain activity in certain areas.. When they looked at each person’s data they saw that slower responses were actually linked to less brain activity in those areas. The researchers at Stanford Medicine think that this means that group averages might not be a way to understand how each person’s brain works.
Hidden subgroups
The study also found that there are subgroups of kids who have different levels of cognitive control and performance monitoring. Some kids are really good at adjusting their behavior after they make a mistake while others have a time doing that. The brain activity patterns of these subgroups often go in directions. What is important is that some trends that the researchers saw in the group were actually driven by just one subgroup, which hid what was happening in the other subgroups. Stanford Medicine is studying these subgroups.
Speed vs accuracy
The findings of the study are similar to a known idea in psychology called the speed-accuracy trade-off. When people try to do things they might not be as accurate. The researchers think that something similar is happening in the brain. What seems to be true for the group might not be true for each person, which means that we need to look at each person’s brain activity. The researchers at Stanford Medicine are looking at how this works.
Adaptive behavior
The researchers used modeling to study how the kids adapted their responses over time. Some kids got better at the task by anticipating what would happen next which shows that they can adapt. Other kids got worse at the task over time. The brain activity patterns of these kids were different which highlights the ways that kids can think and learn. Stanford Medicine is studying these patterns.
Multiple pathways
The study also found that cognitive control is not one thing but involves many different processes. These include control, which is preparing for something and reactive control which is responding to something. Different kids use combinations of these processes. Some kids can make up for control by using different strategies, which shows that the brain can adapt in many ways. The researchers at Stanford Medicine think this is important.
Implications
The study has implications for education and mental health. If we recognize that each kid’s brain works differently, teachers and doctors might be able to tailor their strategies to each kid’s needs. For example kids who have trouble with control might benefit from techniques that help them plan ahead rather than just reacting.
Looking ahead
This shift in thinking could lead to treatments for conditions like ADHD and better tools for improving learning and behavior. It also opens up ways to study how the brain adapts in real-life situations. The researchers at Stanford Medicine think that this is a deal. Ultimately the research shows that there is no thing as an “average brain”. If we want to understand how the brain works we need to look at each person’s brain activity and that is what the researchers at Stanford Medicine are doing.