Expert Links Intelligence With Brain Size

There may be a linkage between a man’s intelligence level and the size of his brain, an expert who spoke to THE WHISTLER disclosed.

Scientists have discovered that people with large bellies are likely to have smaller brain sizes compared to those with flat bellies.

A recent study published by the American Academy of Neurology linked extra belly fat to shrinkage in brain volume.

Research has also shown that human brains vary considerably in size in adults, with males having slightly larger brains than females thus leading to the debate on if there is a correlation between having a large brain and being intelligent.

But an Abuja-based medical doctor, Mfon Daniel, told THE WHISTLER that brain size is not linked to intelligence but rather the complexity of the brain (the ability to form connections, complicated neural networks).

“From evolution theory, higher animals like monkeys and humans have bigger brains as compared to the size of their body, so they can process information better. Not just the size of their brains though but the percentage of their body weight that the brain takes.

“Humans brains, however, take 10% of their body size, looking at it from a man and woman angle, the average size of a man’s brain is 1.3kg while that of a woman is 1.1kg signifying that a man’s brain is heavier and bigger than that of a woman but intelligence quotient (IQ) test have proven to discard that a bigger brain confers more intelligence on people because the IQ of both men and women have been shown not to vary in comparison to their brain size,” he said.

However, he highlighted that researchers don’t get to see the size of the brain but the number of synapses (the communication junctions between neurons through which nerve impulses pass), protein network and other micro molecular components that affects intelligent.

He added that brain size between men may not contribute to intelligence, though it can be a determinant between man and animals as humans from the evolution theory are seen to be wiser than ants and lions because the size of their brain, compared to the body size is higher than the size of some animal’s brain.

“Studies have not proven brain size to determine high intelligence, all that is said is that when you get into the brain tissue, it will be seen that a man that is very intelligent have gotten more synapses, more circuit, and more interconnections as they will appear to be more complex.

“This is why professors and people that study a lot rarely come down with dementia (forgetfulness in old age) as much as farmers or people that study less,” he added.

Also a psychologist from U.k’s Open University, Helen Phillips said “It is true that a very small brain usually means very low cognitive ability but this normally happens through disease and so can’t be taken into account.

“That would be like comparing the efficiency of lung capacity in someone with cystic fibrosis and someone without.”

However, from these findings, it can be concluded that a big brain alone doesn’t equate to being smarts. If it did, elephants and sperm whales would win all the spelling bees.