Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

616
Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
616
Human Genetics01:28

Human Genetics

1.8K
Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
1.8K
Regression Toward the Mean01:52

Regression Toward the Mean

7.2K
Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when...
7.2K
Heritability01:06

Heritability

703
Heritability is a statistical concept that measures the degree to which genetic differences among individuals contribute to trait variations within a population. It is a fundamental idea in genetics, often prone to misinterpretation. Heritability is expressed as a percentage, reflecting the proportion of variation in a specific trait across a population that can be linked to genetic differences. However, it's important to understand that heritability does not determine how "genetic"...
703
Factors Affecting Illness01:18

Factors Affecting Illness

5.5K
When a person's physical, emotional, intellectual, social development or spiritual functioning is compromised, this deviation from a healthy normal state is called illness. Illness creates stress that in turn harms individuals. Irritation, anger, denial, hopelessness, and fear are behavioral and emotional changes an individual experiences in the phases of illness. A variety of factors influence a person's health and well-being.
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
5.5K
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs01:23

Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs

1.2K
Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
1.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospital Admission Rates and Patients' Characteristics Before the Age of 2 Years in England, 2015-2019.

The Pediatric infectious disease journal·2024
Same author

Cognitive function and skeletal size and mineral density at age 6-7 years: Findings from the Southampton Women's Survey.

Bone·2024
Same author

Systemic inflammation and subsequent risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Prospective cohort study.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2023
Same author

Systemic inflammation and subsequent risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: prospective cohort study.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2023
Same author

Exploring polygenic-environment and residual-environment interactions for depressive symptoms within the UK Biobank.

Genetic epidemiology·2022
Same author

Pre-Morbid Risk Factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Prospective Cohort Study.

Clinical epidemiology·2021

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 1, 2026

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment
12:18

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on: January 11, 2020

8.2K

Cognitive ability and physical health: a Mendelian randomization study.

Saskia P Hagenaars1,2,3, Catharine R Gale1,2,4, Ian J Deary1,2

  • 1Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.

Scientific Reports
|June 3, 2017
PubMed
Summary

This study investigated the genetic links between cognitive ability and physical health. Mendelian randomization analyses found no evidence that cognitive ability or educational attainment causally influence physical health outcomes.

More Related Videos

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
09:38

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: November 14, 2017

15.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 1, 2026

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment
12:18

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on: January 11, 2020

8.2K
Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
09:38

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: November 14, 2017

15.8K

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The association between cognitive ability and health is well-established, but the underlying causal mechanisms, particularly shared genetic factors, remain unclear.
  • Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing targeted health interventions and public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the causal genetic associations between cognitive ability and key physical health indicators.
  • To determine if cognitive ability or educational attainment causally influence body mass index (BMI), height, systolic blood pressure, coronary artery disease, or type 2 diabetes.

Main Methods:

  • Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses were employed using summary statistics from large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) consortia and the UK Biobank.
  • The inverse-variance weighted method was used to assess potential causal relationships between cognitive ability, educational attainment, and physical health traits.

Main Results:

  • Significant associations were observed: higher cognitive ability was linked to taller stature, while lower cognitive ability was associated with higher BMI, systolic blood pressure, and increased risk of coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes.
  • However, Mendelian randomization analyses provided no evidence for a causal effect of cognitive ability or educational attainment on these physical health outcomes.
  • Conversely, higher educational attainment was associated with favorable physical health profiles (lower BMI, blood pressure, disease risk, and taller stature), but causal links were not supported.

Conclusions:

  • The study found no evidence for a causal relationship between cognitive ability, educational attainment, and physical health in either direction.
  • The observed associations may be due to pleiotropy, weak instrumental variables, measurement error, or insufficient statistical power.
  • Further research with larger sample sizes and improved genetic instruments is needed to fully elucidate the complex interplay between cognition and health.