A team of researchers from the University of Edinburg has revealed that the genes that exert influence over human health also shape how well we think, effectively linking intelligence and health. They found that genes associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and autism can also impact certain cognitive functions and may help shed light on some of the links between poor health and those with low levels of cognitive functioning.
The team took advantage of the national data resource of health and compared the mental data test of each person in the resource to their genome, leading them to discover that certain traits connected to disease and thinking skills were influenced by the same genetics. In order to test the validity of these findings, the researchers examined previous genetic studies that focused on other mental and physical health factors such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and autism, which further supported their hypothesis.
"In addition to there being shared genetic influences between cognitive skills and some physical and mental health states, the study also found that cognitive skills share genetic influences with brain size, body shape and educational attainments," Ian Deary, who participated in the research, said in a press release.
Not only do the findings support the existing theory that those with better health are more likely to have higher levels of intelligence, it also highlights the importance of further investigation into the biological pathways that are connected to and influence cognitive functioning and health.
The findings were published in the Jan. 26 issue of Molecular Psychiatry.
