3 ms·

Intelligent people are genetically predisposed to be healthier, experts find

12 points by Jerry2 11y ago

danieltillett 11y ago
The brain is just another organ like all the others. It would be a real surprise if we found that there was an organ that when it worked badly increased health. Imagine if the study was "people with a good liver are predisposed to be healthier". Not even the Torygraph would publish this.
- wutbrodo 11y ago
  I'm not sure "brain health" is as good a synonym of "intelligence" as you seem to be implying it is. As one possible example of divergence between the two measures, a handful of mental illnesses are mentioned that are associated with intelligence.
  - bunnymancer 11y ago
    That is based on the assumption that all differentiated states are "illnesses" and that all illnesses are bad.
    - dTal 11y ago
      All illnesses are, by definition, bad. That is what makes them "illnesses" and not "wellnesses". You can argue about whether a particular differentiated state is an "illness" or not, but that is just the same as arguing whether or not it is "bad". As for your point... I fail to see the connection. It seems to me that treading carefully when equating "brain health" with "intelligence" is entirely the correct approach, regardless of one's opinion on which specific things count as "illness". Are you saying that there isn't a single mental disorder correlated with intelligence?
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
- danieltillett 11y ago
  To be fair to the study these are predominantly late life illnesses and can't be drivers of low intelligence as this set in early life. Really the whole thing is wholistic with lots of feedback loops.
  - qb45 11y ago
    Sorry, I removed the rant before noticing your post. And, frankly, I have no problem with people doing such studies, maybe nothing better has been done so far and this is still a step forward. However, the journalists sensationalizing them like that are annoying. And it's not like "feedback loop" appeared anywhere in the original article, either.
    - danieltillett 11y ago
      This article is from the Torygraph so we should not expect too much. The one thing I like about the Telegraph is the obituaries. I don't know why, but I love reading about the life of some obscure military officer or member of the landed gentry.

12 points by Jerry2 11y ago

The brain is just another organ like all the others. It would be a real surprise if we found that there was an organ that when it worked badly increased health. Imagine if the study was "people with a good liver are predisposed to be healthier". Not even the Torygraph would publish this.

wutbrodo 11y ago
I'm not sure "brain health" is as good a synonym of "intelligence" as you seem to be implying it is. As one possible example of divergence between the two measures, a handful of mental illnesses are mentioned that are associated with intelligence.
- bunnymancer 11y ago
  That is based on the assumption that all differentiated states are "illnesses" and that all illnesses are bad.
  - dTal 11y ago
    All illnesses are, by definition, bad. That is what makes them "illnesses" and not "wellnesses". You can argue about whether a particular differentiated state is an "illness" or not, but that is just the same as arguing whether or not it is "bad". As for your point... I fail to see the connection. It seems to me that treading carefully when equating "brain health" with "intelligence" is entirely the correct approach, regardless of one's opinion on which specific things count as "illness". Are you saying that there isn't a single mental disorder correlated with intelligence?

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

danieltillett 11y ago
To be fair to the study these are predominantly late life illnesses and can't be drivers of low intelligence as this set in early life. Really the whole thing is wholistic with lots of feedback loops.
- qb45 11y ago
  Sorry, I removed the rant before noticing your post. And, frankly, I have no problem with people doing such studies, maybe nothing better has been done so far and this is still a step forward. However, the journalists sensationalizing them like that are annoying. And it's not like "feedback loop" appeared anywhere in the original article, either.
  - danieltillett 11y ago
    This article is from the Torygraph so we should not expect too much. The one thing I like about the Telegraph is the obituaries. I don't know why, but I love reading about the life of some obscure military officer or member of the landed gentry.