Scientists Unravel Mysteries of Intelligence

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Learn more about the workings of the brain at Harvard University's Whole Brain Atlas.

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Scientists Unravel Mysteries of Intelligence

By Amanda Gardner

HealthDay Reporter –

FRIDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- It's not a particular brain region that makes someone smart or not smart.

Nor is it the strength and speed of the connections throughout the brain or such features as total brain volume.

Instead, new research shows, it's the connections between very specific areas of the brain that determine intelligence and often, by extension, how well someone does in life.

"General intelligence actually relies on a specific network inside the brain, and this is the connections between the gray matter, or cell bodies, and the white matter, or connecting fibers between neurons," said Jan Glascher, lead author of a paper appearing in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "General intelligence relies on the connection between the frontal and the parietal [situated behind the frontal] parts of the brain."
The results weren't entirely unexpected, said Keith Young, vice chairman of research in psychiatry and behavioral science at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine in Temple, but "it is confirmation of the idea that good communication between various parts of brain are very important for this generalized intelligence."

General intelligence is an abstract notion developed in 1904 that has always been somewhat controversial.

"People noticed a long time ago that, in general, people who are good test-takers did well in a lot of different subjects," explained Young. "If you're good in mathematics, you're also usually good in English. Researchers came up with this idea that this represented a kind of overall intelligence."

"General intelligence is this notion that smart people tend to be smart across all different kinds of domains," added Glascher, who is a postdoctoral fellow in the department of humanities and social sciences at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Hoping to learn more, the authors located 241 patients who had some sort of brain lesion. They then diagrammed the location of their lesions and had them take IQ tests.

"We took patients who had damaged parts of their brain, tested them on intelligence to see where they were good and where they were bad, then we correlated those scores across all the patients with the location of the brain lesions," Glascher explained. "That way, you can highlight the areas that are associated with reduced performance on these tests which, by the reverse inference, means these areas are really important for general intelligence."
"These studies infer results based on the absence of brain tissue," added Paul Sanberg, distinguished professor of neurosurgery and director of the University of South Florida Center for Aging and Brain Repair in Tampa. "It allows them to systemize and pinpoint areas important to intelligence."

Young said the findings echo what's come before. "The map they came up with was what we expected and involves areas of the cortex we thought would be involved -- the parietal and frontal cortex. They're important for language and mathematics," he said.

In an earlier study, the same team of investigators found that this brain network was also important for working memory, "the ability to hold a certain number of items [in your mind]," Glascher said. "In the past, people have associated general intelligence very strongly with enhanced working memory capacity so there's a close theoretical connection with that."

I'd like to see what sort of forum members' discussion this article and these studies generate.

As a supposed, scored genius on the IQ spectrum? Bah! I've long been of the stance that those that place at the top end of IQ batteries, are just that ... the best, blessed test takers on Earth! I do believe there is also a certain, advanced level of photographic ability and critical reasoning involved. I realize well that I'm blessed w/ an incredibly strong and gifted mind. Still, I often just don't believe the biased IQ hype. This article seems to challenge my long held position.

I often conjecture that, it is a select community that is incredibly self directed, whose motivated members have academically competed w/ their self, first and foremost, since their earliest years. Test taking became their own obsessive Olympian game/sport to beat, VERY early on. Nothing but gold would do. It is simply, only one type of specific intelligence. ?

At times, I feel almost as if a fraud, as I've seen so many superior in fields I haven't at all an innate ability towards. In example, I often find myself a championing advocate for those pronounced "Country Dumb". Those wizards that can repair and design whatever their situation demands: those of the legendary Eirish ingenuities and the like. These, the often incredibly clever and self taught, that can dance circles around others abilities. Yet, they often believe they are stupid and illiterate. I see them as geniuses as well. I know Howard Gardner would agree.

It always stung when my Father would say to my brothers, "Why can't you be smart like your sister?" Yet, they had just as many gifts and abilities uniquely their own, that I hadn't. It is a label that is a lot to live up to - and a lot for others to live down.

And a wholly other discussion is the EQ vs. IQ. Those w/ a measurably advanced Emotional Quotient scoring("Genius"?), consistently lead the more successful life, as they make such grounded choices. The high EQers can leave the high IQers flailing in the drowning waters of their own low EQ~styled life.

Put in another way, as I've often questioned: "If I'm so damned smart, why am I so damned dumb?" Raising the EQ is one of my life's greatest challenges and work in progress! It is no wonder Einstein needed such a doting caretaker as his wife.

And what of those blessed to have it all: High IQ, EQ, Creative Artistry, an Easy Spiritual Attunement and Country Smarts? And, perhaps even superior Athletic, Bodily Intelligence? ... These are the rare, rounded individuals that I feel safest, most comfortable w/. I suppose I most emulate these unique persons having the highest melding of coordinated intelligence meets knowledge, distills a working understanding that manifests a lifelong union w/ wisdom of action, thought and being. These, my chosen mentors - are as if the 'Life Gurus' that have it all, imho.

Your thoughts on Genius? General Intelligence? Multiple Intelligence Styles? I look forward to the varied perceptions and perspectives on offer here!

Great link. What they found makes sense. There are so many things about the brain that they are just starting to learn now

Ah, I'm glad that you found this thread.

I recognize through your forum posts that you are also an avid, dedicated learner - committed to your own growth and sharing it back out ...

As the line was so succintly put forth in the film, 'Avatar':

"I Seeeeeeeee YOU!" ...

Great movie

BTW - it was once thought that a stroke victim who lost use of one side of their body would always stay that way. However now research has shown that the brain will remap itself and they can learn how to use what was lost all over again. The human brain has fluidity and it is much more complex than anyone ever imagined.

Yes, that is so true!

There was a case, decades ago, where a man that had undergone brain death to more than 70% of his brain, had eventually regenerated all cognitive mental abilities.

Everything!!!

Even then, the conclusion was that every region of his mind had relocated and rewired itself, COMPLETELY!

Some save after the hard drive crash and total mother board failure, that, eh?

Miraculous phenomena!

Did you know that amputee's regenerate every acu point that was contained on the lost limb!?

The body is a treasure trove of wonders ...

Avatar, hit so close to home that I could scarcely breathe.

It anchored and changed my life as much as Koyanisqatsi did, back in the day!

Ars, you are an absolute delight ...

... ... A hearty welcome to Mingle, my friend ...

Phew, signs of VERY intelligent life w/ heart and soul ... I take great hope, TY!

LOL


Yes, and I love learning all about it.


It comes out in video soon. I'll be sure to get you a copy


Thank you for the compliment Just trying to help out where ever I can.

I share in the cause, in spite of all dissention I've yet to encounter, which has been continuous and great!

(Pre?) Destined dedication dies hard: Fight the GOOD fight, at all costs!

If you don't stand for something? You will fall for anything ...

An unexamined life truly is just not worth living!

You go and Carry On THE Good Work ...

Emotional Intelligence.

Experiential Intelligence

Innate Intelligence

Ancestral Intelligence.

Spiritual Intelligence.



I would love to see the Intelligence Quotients for those...

Show me that brain you sexy beast!