More Evidence That Intelligence Is Largely Inherited: Researchers Find That Genes Determine

[jody]

Brain's Processing Speed

More Evidence That Intelligence Is Largely Inherited: Researchers Find That Genes Determine Brain's Processing Speed

In a study published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience, UCLA neurology professor Paul Thompson and colleagues used a new type of brain-imaging scanner to show that intelligence is strongly influenced by the quality of the brain's axons, or wiring that sends signals throughout the brain. The faster the signaling, the faster the brain processes information. And since the integrity of the brain's wiring is influenced by genes, the genes we inherit play a far greater role in intelligence than was previously thought.

Genes appear to influence intelligence by determining how well nerve axons are encased in myelin — the fatty sheath of "insulation" that coats our axons and allows for fast signaling bursts in our brains. The thicker the myelin, the faster the nerve impulses.

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He said his team has already narrowed down the number of gene candidates that may influence myelin growth.

And could this someday lead to a therapy that could make us smarter, enhancing our intelligence?

[cliffordu]

1. Eliminate teh stupid from the Republican potty.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. I couldn't possibly get smarter ........

No, really. My head would explode, I'm so smart...........

[exboyfil]

3. Wow could the authors of "The Bell Curve" be on to something?

A question I would have is that typically folks marry folks near their education attainment levels(ie college grads marry college grads) so is the genetic inheritance reinforcing. If so it has profound implications for our society going forward.

On the other hand it could be a load of cow dung.

[MedleyMisty]

4. What does education have to do with intelligence?

There's plenty of kids with thicker myelin sheaths growing up in poverty who'll never get to go to college.

[jody]

5. Super question, I await thoughtful, informed replies. n/t

[exboyfil]

8. Their is not complete correlation but I found

that educational attainment tracks IQ somewhat.

From an IQ testing house:
Highest level of education attained by age 40
.50 - .58 (actually I am a bit suprised that the correlation is not higher)

From Wikipedia:
"Tambs et al.<81> found that occupational status, educational attainment, and IQ are individually heritable; and further found that "genetic variance influencing educational attainment ... contributed approximately one-fourth of the genetic variance for occupational status and nearly half the genetic variance for IQ". In a sample of U.S. siblings, Rowe et al.<82> report that the inequality in education and income was predominantly due to genes, with shared environmental factors playing a subordinate role."


From Amazon description of IQ and Global Inequality (Perfect Paperback)
by Richard Lynn and Tatu Vanhanen (Author)
"In Chapter 3, we summarize work showing that intelligence is a determinant of incomes and related phenomena (educational attainment and socio-economic status) among individuals in a number of countries;..."


From Abstract of "Small Family, Smart Family? Family Size and the IQ Scores of Young Men"
Sandra E. Black
Paul J. Devereux
Kjell G. Salvanes
NBER Working Paper No. W13336
"Cognitive skills have been shown to be a strong predictor of educational attainment and future labor market success;"

At least in our current society it also makes sense. Irrespective of whether you accept the validity of IQ tests in measuring intelligence (I have my doubts especially after reading Gould's
"The Mismeasure of Man") the underlying assumption of the cited study in the article uses IQ tests to compare to the thickness of the myelin sheath (how they come up with their conclusions). I would contend that, since a great deal of educational attainment (especially in the highly compensated hard sciences) can be tied to the ability to take tests including IQ tests, you would expect the two to track (ie those who perform well in math and sciences also have higher IQ test scores). You couple that with studies showing educational attainment with income, then you can see my point (if marriage is tied to educational or occupational attainment (ie intelligence) and intelligence is genetic, then we will continue to see more of a stratification of have and have nots in society).

I am not saying that I agree with the IQ and genetics question. I am postulating the impact if it is true.

[jody]

9. Thanks. n/t

[tbyg52]

6. Meh. (I believe that is the correct term.... ;-> )

IMHO, as long as you are of at least normal intelligence, what you do with your brain is a lot more important than your heredity.

They need to do a study on the effects of being surrounded by books and read to virtually from birth....! (That would be me - I've been ridiculously "intelligent" according to the tests all my life, and I bet you can guess whether I attribute it to smart actions by my parents or smart genes from my parents.) (Not that I place much importance on those tests, anyway - just giving an example.)

[GoesTo11]

7. I wonder if diet would also affect thickness of myelin

I feel like I've been slowing down since a major dietary change.

It seems perfectly reasonable that there's a genetic component. There seem to be some families where just about everyone is wicked smart. Just think back to high school. Yeah, there's obviously environment there too, but I don't think smart parents are that much more likely to spend time reading baby einstein flashcards to their kids than not as smart parents in the same socio-demographic group.