November 5, 2001, Monday
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 12
LENGTH: 179 words
CLEAR evidence that intelligence is largely determined before birth emerged yesterday from a new genetic study of twins.
The findings showed that genetic factors accounted for differences between individuals in key areas such as intelligence and language ability. Grey matter volume - a measure of the density of brain cells - was strongly determined by genes, and reflected cognitive performance.
Researchers led by Dr Paul Thompson, from the University of California at Los Angeles, compared 20 twin pairs, half of whom were identical and half non -identical.
Identical twins have the same genes, whereas non-identical twins, like ordinary siblings, share about half.
Features which are the same in identical, but not non-identical twins are therefore likely to be governed by genetic factors.
The findings were reported yesterday in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
The researchers wrote: "We found that brain structure is under significant genetic control, in a broad anatomical region that includes frontal and language-related cortices."
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2001