IQ and Synapse Variations

[Proteus]

What is the variation in number of synapses in the human cortex, and what is the relation between this number and IQ?

[toastywombel]

The human brain has around 10 billion neurons, each neuron is connected to other neurons through around 10,000 synapses. So I would guess the human brain has about 100 trillion synapses.

 

There is no real relation between IQ and synapses they would not really be comparable. A person's IQ is determined by a paper pen/question answer/problem solving test. A test like that does not necessarily discern the amount of synapses in the brain.

 

IE) A person with autism or severe cerebral palsy might have just as many synapses as the average person, but the average person would most likely out-perform them on an IQ test.

 

Furthermore thoughts/ideas/understanding is caused by the firing off of neuro-transmitters between neurons through synapses. Its not like synapses are created when you figure something out.

 

Check out these links:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuron

http://www.mind.ilstu.edu/curriculum/neurons_intro/neurons_intro.php

Edited December 11, 2009 by toastywombel