MRI correlates of general intelligence in neurotypical adults

2016-02

Malpas, Charles B

Genc, Sila

Saling, Michael M

Velakoulis, Dennis

Desmond, Patricia M

O’Brien, Terence J

Diffusion MRI

Functional connectivity

Intelligence

Brain

Resting state

White matter

Journal Article

10.1016/j.jocn.2015.07.012

There is growing interest in the neurobiological substrate of general intelligence. Psychometric estimates of general intelligence are reduced in a range of neurological disorders, leading to practical application as sensitive, but non-specific, markers of cerebral disorder. This study examined estimates of general intelligence in neurotypical adults using diffusion tensor imaging and resting-state functional connectivity analysis. General intelligence was related to white matter organisation across multiple brain regions, confirming previous work in older healthy adults. We also found that variation in general intelligence was related to a large functional sub-network involving all cortical lobes of the brain. These findings confirm that individual variance in general intelligence is related to diffusely represented brain networks.

link

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 2016; 24: 128-134

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience