Brain Asphalt and IQ

Did you know that a high quality of myelin (that seems to be inheritable) appears to correlate with higher IQ scores? Using DTI (diffusion-tensor imaging) in studies of 92 pairs of fraternal and identical twins, researchers found a strong correlation between the integrity of the white matter or myelin and performance on a standard IQ test. Think of myelin as the brain’s asphalt, which paves its neuron highways by coating neuronal axons.