Skip Nav Destination
Close Modal
Update search
NARROW
Format
Journal
TocHeadingTitle
Date
Availability
1-1 of 1
Andreas Konrad
Close
Follow your search
Access your saved searches in your account
Would you like to receive an alert when new items match your search?
Sort by
Journal Articles
Publisher: Journals Gateway
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (2012) 24 (4): 888–895.
Published: 01 April 2012
FIGURES
Abstract
View articletitled, VBM–DTI Correlates of Verbal Intelligence: A Potential Link to Broca's Area
View
PDF
for article titled, VBM–DTI Correlates of Verbal Intelligence: A Potential Link to Broca's Area
Human brain lesion studies first investigated the biological roots of cognitive functions including language in the late 1800s. Neuroimaging studies have reported correlation findings with general intelligence predominantly in fronto-parietal cortical areas. However, there is still little evidence about the relationship between verbal intelligence and structural properties of the brain. We predicted that verbal performance is related to language regions of Broca's and Wernicke's areas. Verbal intelligence quotient (vIQ) was assessed in 30 healthy young subjects. T1-weighted MRI and diffusion tensor imaging data sets were acquired. Voxel-wise regression analyses were used to correlate fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity values with vIQ. Moreover, regression analyses of regional brain volume with vIQ were performed adopting voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and ROI methodology. Our analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between vIQ and FA and a significant positive correlation between vIQ and mean diffusivity in the left-hemispheric Broca's area. VBM regression analyses did not show significant results, whereas a subsequent ROI analysis of Broca's area FA peak cluster demonstrated a positive correlation of gray matter volume and vIQ. These findings suggest that cortical thickness in Broca's area contributes to verbal intelligence. Diffusion parameters predicted gray matter ratio in Broca's area more sensitive than VBM methodology.