The results of an experiment conducted by researchers from European universities, to find out if there was a correlation between head size and cognitive functions, was published in Molecular Psychiatry recently.
Researchers used data from U.K. Biobank, a health resource that stores data of more than 500,000 residents between the age of 37 to 73.
They analyzed blood, urine and saliva samples from people assessed during the period of 2006 to 2010. The participants also underwent cognitive and physical assessments.
After analysis, they discovered that people with larger infant head circumferences were more intelligent.
As a matter of fact, they scored higher on verbal-numerical reasoning tests and were more likely to get a university degree.
The researchers wrote: “Highly significant associations were observed between the cognitive test scores in the UK Biobank sample and many polygenic profile scores, including, … intracranial volume, infant head circumference and childhood cognitive ability.”
Researchers also discovered that larger heads were linked to better overall health.
“These results indicate that even in healthy individuals, being at high polygenic risk for coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure is associated with lower cognitive function and lower educational attainment,” they said.
Though the researchers said it is not possible to fully debate on the implications of their conclusions, they believe that the findings are favorable.
They stated that: “These results should stimulate further research that will be informative about the specific genetic mechanisms of the associations found here, which likely involves both protective and detrimental effects of different genetic variants.”
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