A Predicted Molecular Model for Development of Human Intelligence

Abstract

Intelligence is the core construct of behavioral genetics studies and is one of the most heritable behavioral traits. Molecular genetics studies attempt to identify the genes which are responsible for the levels of intelligence and its heritability. In order to understand the main signaling and biochemical pathways that are involved in intelligence, functional genomics could be applied. Herein, we selected a total of 181 intelligence- related genes (IRGs), selected from genome-wide association studies and literatures, to incorporate these genes in related signaling pathways, aiming to understand the underlying biological mechanisms. Disregarding the tissue types, computational pathway analyses demonstrated that IRGs were mostly enriched in the Wnt signaling pathway. Nevertheless, pathway enrichment of brain-specific IRGs, highlighted the role of G-protein- and dopamine-mediated signaling pathways. These findings represent a comprehensive and assembled intracellular molecular network for intelligence. It is of great importance to identify RNA or protein molecules, responsible for regulation of these signaling pathways.