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Summary
Nearsighted individuals, or myopes, score higher on intelligence tests. This intellectual advantage appears to precede myopia development, suggesting a genetic link with brain stimulation.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral genetics
- Ophthalmology
- Cognitive science
Background:
- Previous studies indicate higher intelligence scores in myopic individuals.
- Myopia (nearsightedness) is a prevalent refractive error with a suspected genetic basis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cognitive performance of high school students with and without myopia.
- To investigate the temporal relationship between intellectual development and the onset of nearsightedness.
- To explore the potential genetic and evolutionary implications of myopia and intelligence.
Main Methods:
- Administered standard intelligence tests to 17-18-year-old high school students.
- Compared current test results with tests taken by the same students 10 years prior.
- Reviewed existing genetic studies on myopia inheritance.
Main Results:
- Myopic students scored approximately 8 IQ points higher than non-myopic students.
- Intellectual gains were observed before the development of nearsightedness.
- Myopia is likely an inherited condition, possibly a recessive trait.
Conclusions:
- The gene responsible for myopia may also stimulate brain development.
- The increased prevalence of myopia in industrialized societies could be an evolutionary adaptation.
- Myopia may confer a survival advantage in urbanized environments.