The sign of intelligence: Clever people literally have bigger, better brain cells

Scientists have found out what it is that marks out intelligent people – and it’s simply that they have bigger (and better) brain cells than the rest of us.

The finding could lead to new ways to enhance human intelligence, New Scientist reports.

Clever people’s brain cells are also ‘better connected’ to neighbouring cells, the study found.

Natalia Goriounova of the Free University Amsterdam, gave an IQ test to 35 people who were due to undergo brain surgery.

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The team found that people of higher intelligence tend to have larger, better connected neurons.

Christof Koch at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle told New Scientist: ‘We’ve known there is some link between brain size and intelligence. The team confirm this and take it down to individual neurons.

‘It’s a beautiful study.’

‘Some people will say intelligence is so elusive and complex that the idea it can be tied to individual neurons is implausible.’