Sorry Dad, science says mom is the smart one

India Today

5 hours ago

When little Aarav, barely four, started solving puzzles meant for eight-year-olds, his family was stunned, except his mother, who smiled knowingly. "He's always been curious, just like I was," she said, brushing off the praise. At first, everyone assumed it was just maternal pride talking. But as it turns out, science might actually agree with her.In living rooms, classrooms, and playgrounds across the world, children display sparks of brilliance that often lead people to wonder: Where did that come from? For years, the answer felt split down the middle. But now, genetic research is beginning to tip the scales pointing, quite strongly, toward mothers as the primary source of inherited intelligence. Studies suggest that when it comes to IQ, mom may have the upper hand in the genetic lottery.
Picture credit: freepik
advertisementINTELLIGENCE LIVES ON THE X CHROMOSOMEThe theory that intelligence is passed on more significantly from mothers is rooted in genetics. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, and one pair determines sex XX for females and XY for males. Research shows that many intelligence-related genes are located on the X chromosome.
Since women carry two X chromosomes, and men only one, the likelihood of a child inheriting these intelligence genes from the mother is statistically higher.BUT GENES AREN'T THE FULL STORYIt's important to note that genetics accounts for only 40-60% of intelligence. The rest comes down to environment, stimulation, education, and emotional support areas where both parents and caregivers play critical roles. "A child's potential is determined by genes, but how far they go depends on the environment they grow up in," says Dr. Meera Rao, a Delhi-based child psychologist. "Nutrition, emotional security, and access to learning are equally critical."NATURE MEETS NURTUREadvertisementInterestingly, mothers often end up playing a more central role not just genetically, but environmentally as well. Numerous psychological studies show that a secure emotional bondDOES BREASTFEEDING MAKE A CHILD INTELLIGENT?Breastfeeding may have a small positive effect on intelligence in children, but this effect largely disappears when you adjust for factors like the mother's IQ, education, and socio-economic status. Journalist Sarah Hall said to the Guardian "Breastfeeding your baby has little or no effect on its intelligence baby's brainpower 'more a matter of inheritance.MATERNAL IQ AS A STRONG PREDICTORA BMJ study (2006) of over 5,400 children found that maternal IQ was the strongest predictor of a child's IQ. Once maternal IQ was factored in, other variables like breastfeeding or socio-economic status had little impact on cognitive outcomes. Scientific evidence strongly supports that maternal genes, especially those on the X chromosome, have a disproportionately larger role in determining a child's intelligence but environment and parenting still matter greatly.While both parents matter, science says intelligence is mostly a mom thing. But don't worry, dads, you still get credit for the hairline.