Int Jnl Epid: The association between intelligence and lifespan is mostly genetic
Abstract
Background: Several studies in the new field of cognitive epidemiology have shown that higher intelligence predicts longer lifespan. This positive correlation might arise from socioeconomic status influencing both intelligence and health; intelligence leading to better health behaviours; and/or some shared genetic factors influencing both intelligence and health. Distinguishing among these hypotheses is crucial for medicine and public health, but can only be accomplished by studying a genetically informative sample...
Conclusions: The finding of common genetic effects between lifespan and intelligence has important implications for public health, and for those interested in the genetics of intelligence, lifespan or inequalities in health outcomes including lifespan.
Key Messages
It has been reported that brighter people live longer; we asked ‘why?'.
- We found, using data from three studies, that the small association between being brighter and living longer was mostly genetic in origin.
- This is a key finding in cognitive epidemiology; it is a further indication that intelligence is not just ‘school-smarts'.
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