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In a remarkable discovery, scientists identified 1,016 specific genes associated with intelligence, many of which were until now unknown to science.
The study was led by statistical geneticist Danielle Posthuma at the Free University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The international team conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of nearly 270,000 participants, with very successful results.
The large-scale study has uncovered 190 new genomic loci (a fixed position on a chromosome) and 939 new genes associated with intelligence. Discovery serves to illuminate human understanding of the genetic makeup of cognitive ability.
Participants participated in neurocognitive tests that measured their intelligence. The scores were then compared to their DNA, alerting scientists to the mutations associated with superior intelligence. This led to other genetic discoveries, namely that intelligence genes correlated with increased cases of autism, with longevity, suggesting that carriers might be inclined to live longer. long time.
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In addition, the sample of 270,000 people detected more than nine million mutations. By browsing this information, the team has identified 205 regions in an intelligence-related DNA code – including 190 unprecedented ones. Of the 1,016 specific genes identified, 939 of them were new discoveries.
Meanwhile, the presence of these genes has been shown to negatively correlate with cognitive health disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depressive symptoms.
"Our results indicate an overlap in the genetic processes involved in both cognitive functioning and neurological and psychiatric traits and provide suggestive evidence of the causal associations that can lead to these correlations," explain the researchers.
"These findings are important for understanding the biological underpinnings of cognitive functioning and contributing to the understanding of related neurological and psychiatric disorders."
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