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The association between brain volume and intelligence is of genetic origin

Nature Neuroscience volume 5, pages 83–84 (2002)Cite this article

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The recent study by Thompson and colleagues1 reported high heritability of gray-matter volume in several cortical regions using voxel-based MRI techniques. Gray matter substantially correlated with general intelligence, or 'g'. These findings prompt three major questions: (i) is the high heritability specific to gray-matter volume, (ii) is the correlation with g specific to gray-matter volume and (iii) is the correlation between gray-matter volume and g of genetic or environmental origin?

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam, 1081, BT, The Netherlands

    Daniëlle Posthuma, Eco J. C. De Geus & Dorret I. Boomsma

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, 3584, CX, The Netherlands

    Wim F. C. Baaré, Hilleke E. Hulshoff Pol & René S. Kahn

Authors
  1. Daniëlle Posthuma
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  2. Eco J. C. De Geus
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  3. Wim F. C. Baaré
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  4. Hilleke E. Hulshoff Pol
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  5. René S. Kahn
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  6. Dorret I. Boomsma
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Posthuma, D., De Geus, E., Baaré, W. et al. The association between brain volume and intelligence is of genetic origin. Nat Neurosci 5, 83–84 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn0202-83

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