Smart people live longer. This conclusion was reached by the scientists of the University of Edinburgh, who found that intelligence measured in childhood is related to life span at the genetic level. The study was published in the journal Genomic Psychiatry (GP).
A team led by David Hill and Ian Deary has provided the first molecular genetic evidence that intelligence and longevity have common biological roots.
The scientists analyzed the genomic data of more than 12,000 people whose intelligence was measured during childhood and nearly 390,000 participants whose parents' lifespans were estimated.
The results showed that the genetic correlation between intelligence and longevity was 0.35, meaning that roughly one-third of the genes that influence intelligence are also associated with lifespan. The heritability of intelligence was estimated at 27%, and that of longevity at 29%. According to the researchers, the main strength of the study is that the measurements were taken during childhood, long before cognitive abilities could be affected by disease or social factors. This allowed them to rule out reverse causation, in which health affects mental performance rather than the other way around.
The link between intelligence and longevity has been previously confirmed by dozens of large epidemiological studies. One of them, in which more than a million people participated, showed that each standard increase in a child's IQ reduced the risk of death by 24%.
A new study shows for the first time that this effect has a genetic basis. The researchers used linkage disequilibrium regression, one of the most powerful tools in genetic statistics, which allowed them to rule out the influence of random factors.
According to the authors, the results of the study may have practical significance. Understanding the common genetic architecture of intelligence and longevity will help develop strategies for early disease prevention and cognitive health maintenance.
"We can't change genes, but we can support brain development from an early age to lay the foundation for a healthy and long life," said David Hill.
Translation:Euromedia24.com-in:
