White matter microstructure correlates of mathematical giftedness and intelligence quotient

TLDR

Functional neuroimaging shows distinct brain activation patterns in mathematically gifted adolescents versus controls. The study aimed to examine how mathematical giftedness and IQ relate to white matter microstructure in adolescents. Gifted adolescents were identified through a national program targeting visuospatial and creative strengths, and diffusion tensor imaging with voxel‑wise and ROI analyses of fractional anisotropy was used to assess white matter microstructure. Higher IQ correlated with greater fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum, and gifted adolescents showed increased FA in frontal‑basal ganglia and parietal tracts, suggesting that enhanced connectivity in the forceps minor and splenium supports superior fluid reasoning, visuospatial memory, and creativity. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2619–2631, 2014; © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstract

Abstract Recent functional neuroimaging studies have shown differences in brain activation between mathematically gifted adolescents and controls. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mathematical giftedness, intelligent quotient (IQ), and the microstructure of white matter tracts in a sample composed of math‐gifted adolescents and aged‐matched controls. Math‐gifted subjects were selected through a national program based on detecting enhanced visuospatial abilities and creative thinking. We used diffusion tensor imaging to assess white matter microstructure in neuroanatomical connectivity. The processing included voxel‐wise and region of interest‐based analyses of the fractional anisotropy (FA), a parameter which is purportedly related to white matter microstructure. In a whole‐sample analysis, IQ showed a significant positive correlation with FA, mainly in the corpus callosum, supporting the idea that efficient information transfer between hemispheres is crucial for higher intellectual capabilities. In addition, math‐gifted adolescents showed increased FA (adjusted for IQ) in white matter tracts connecting frontal lobes with basal ganglia and parietal regions. The enhanced anatomical connectivity observed in the forceps minor and splenium may underlie the greater fluid reasoning, visuospatial working memory, and creative capabilities of these children. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2619–2631, 2014 . © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.