Born to Lie

Compared with generally honest people, Chronic liars, Cheaters, Malingerers average 22 percent more white matter in the prefrontal cortex of their brains and 14.2 percent less gray matter or neurons, a recent study by the University of Southern California found. White matter, the brain's networking material, connects neurons much the way telephone wire connects phones; it also ties the prefrontal cortex to the body's limbic system, which controls emotions. That's why pathological liars can tell such whoppers without showing any nervousness. " It could well be that some people are born with a genetic predisposition to lie", says Adrain Raine, co-author of the study.