Until now, we have assumed that intelligence is based on a father’s genes as much as the mother’s. However, according to a new study, intelligence depends on a mother’s X chromosome. Intelligence genes are situated on the mother’s X chromosome. Thus, an intelligent mom has intelligent kids even if their fathers aren’t smart. Scientists from the University of Cambridge conducted this study.
The ‘conditioned genes’ behave differently depending on their origin. They have a kind of biochemical tag that allows tracing the origin. Thus, they reveal whether they are active or not within the progeny cells. If that same gene is hereditary from the father, it is deactivated. Obviously, other genes work the opposite. They activate only if they arrive from the father.
According to this new study, a woman’s genes go directly to the cerebral cortex in an embryo. They play a vital role in attention, memory, awareness, perception, thought, language, and consciousness. Similarly, the father’s genes go to the limbic system. They are vital and responsible for growing tissue that will shape the placenta.
Scientists found that when created embryos consisting only of mother genes are transferred into the uterus, they then die. Hence, it is proved that the conditioned genes are activated only when inherited from the mother. This was a big deal and has been a key to understanding the co-evolution of the brain and the conditioning of the genome.
Additionally, if these genes are important for the embryo’s development, they should also play a main role in the lives of animals and people. But the problem was how to prove why embryos with only one parent’s genes died quickly.
It suggests that intelligence corresponds with the quality of the relationship between parents and children.
Surely, intelligence is also related to the high-quality relationship between parents and children. The kids who had strong attention in the first years are more able to solve problems. They are also passionate about it, but it is great to know that our mothers are awesome!