Jewish World Review Nov. 9, 2001 / 23 Mar-Cheshvan, 5762

Bio-warfare (redux)

By Robert A. Wascher, M.D., F.A.C.S.

http://www.jewishworldreview.com --

MY GRAY MATTER IS BIGGER THAN YOURS

UCLA neuroscientists have reported on research that appears to confirm longstanding suspicions about the link between brain size and IQ. Specifically, the UCLA study studied the hypothesis that the amount of the so-called "gray matter" in the brain is a key determinant of intelligence as measured by standard IQ tests. Using both identical and non-identical twins as study subjects, sophisticated brain scans were performed in addition to the administration of standardized IQ tests. Among each pair of genetically identical twins, the amount of gray matter present in the brain was much more consistent than was seen in the non-identical twin pairs. Moreover, standardized IQ tests showed a correlation between larger volumes of gray matter and increased IQ. Taken together, these results add evidence to suggest that people with larger amounts of gray matter in the brain appears to have higher IQs, and that gray matter volume appears to be under fairly strict genetic control.

The study does not, however, sort out cause-and-effects issues, as other IQ-related factors may be involved that occur in common with increased gray matter volume. Finally, the significance of standardized IQ test results has been debated for many years, and a less than stellar score on such tests do not always correlate with an individual's overall cognitive potential. This study does, however, add weight to previous speculation regarding the relationship between brain size and cognitive brain function, as well as to the previously suspected impact of inherited genes on intelligence.

JWR contributor Dr. Robert A. Wascher is a senior research fellow in molecular & surgical oncology at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, CA. Comment by clicking here.