“White matter microstructure correlates of mathematical giftedness and intelligence quotient” is the title of an article reporting new research appearing in this month’s issue of the scientific journal, Human Brain Mapping.
According to the article’s abstract:
Recent functional neuroimaging studies have shown differences in brain activation between mathematically gifted adolescents and controls. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mathematical giftedness, intelligent quotient (IQ), and the microstructure of white matter tracts in a sample composed of math-gifted adolescents and aged-matched controls. … In a whole-sample analysis, IQ showed a significant positive correlation with FA [fractional anisotropy], mainly in the corpus callosum, supporting the idea that efficient information transfer between hemispheres is crucial for higher intellectual capabilities. In addition, math-gifted adolescents showed increased FA (adjusted for IQ) in white matter tracts connecting frontal lobes with basal ganglia and parietal regions. The enhanced anatomical connectivity observed in the forceps minor and splenium may underlie the greater fluid reasoning, visuospatial working memory, and creative capabilities of these children.
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