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Fluoride exposure and children’s IQ scores

A systematic review and meta-analysis found an inverse association between fluoride exposure and children's IQ scores. The findings suggest a dose-response relationship between fluoride levels and IQ across multiple countries, highlighting the need for comprehensive public health risk-benefit assessments of fluoride exposures.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateJan 6, 2025

Children’s IQs not diminished by concussion

A new study published in Pediatrics suggests that pediatric concussions do not impact intelligence or IQ levels. The research, which combined data from two cohort studies in Canada and the US, found no significant difference in IQ scores between children with concussion and those with orthopedic injuries.

SourceUniversity of Calgary·JournalPEDIATRICS·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJul 17, 2023

UW study strengthens evidence of link between air pollution and child brain development

A new study led by the University of Washington strengthens evidence that air pollution can harm childhood behavioral problems and IQ. Researchers found prenatal and postnatal exposure to nitrogen dioxide and small-particle air pollution were associated with poorer child behavioral functioning and cognitive performance.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalEnvironmental Health Perspectives·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 12, 2022

Lead exposure in last century shrunk IQ scores of half of Americans

A new study calculates that more than 170 million Americans lost an average of nearly three IQ points due to childhood lead exposure from car exhaust between the 1940s and 1996. This translates to a potential shift of millions from below-average cognitive ability to intellectual disability.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateMar 7, 2022

Study links lead in childhood well water to teen delinquency

A new study found that children who drank well water with lead have a 21% higher risk of delinquency and 38% increased risk of serious complaints. Researchers analyzed a 20-year dataset linking blood lead measurements to reported juvenile delinquency records after age 14.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 1, 2022

Common chemicals in electronics and baby products harm brain development

A recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that exposure to low levels of organophosphate esters can harm brain development in children, affecting IQ, attention, and memory. The chemicals, used as flame retardants and plasticizers in electronics and baby products, have been widely misassumed to be safe.

SourceGreen Science Policy Institute·JournalEnvironmental Health Perspectives·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateOct 6, 2021

New test to study language development in youth with Down syndrome

A new test, expressive language sampling (ELS), has been validated as a reliable tool to measure communication development in youth with Down syndrome. The study found that ELS measures were generally valid and reliable across ages and IQ levels, demonstrating strong validity for vocabulary, syntax, and speech intelligibility variables.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalJournal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders·DateApr 8, 2021

Frequent cannabis use by young people linked to decline in IQ

A study found that frequent cannabis use by young people is associated with a decline in Intelligence Quotient (IQ) points over time. The decline was primarily related to reduction in verbal IQ scores, potentially affecting performance in school and future employment prospects.

SourceRCSI·JournalPsychological Medicine·DateJan 28, 2021

Vitamin D levels during pregnancy linked with child IQ

A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that mothers' vitamin D levels during pregnancy were associated with their children's IQ scores. The study also identified significantly lower levels of vitamin D among Black pregnant women, emphasizing the need for targeted nutritional interventions to address health disparities.

SourceSeattle Children's·JournalJournal of Nutrition·DateNov 2, 2020

Gold mining with mercury poses health threats for miles downstream

A study by Duke University scientists found that native communities hundreds of kilometers away from gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon have high levels of mercury exposure, leading to intellectual deficits and IQ losses. Children with higher mercury levels in their hair showed cognitive effects, even at lower exposure levels.

SourceDuke University·JournalJournal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology·DateMay 28, 2020

Five language outcome measures evaluated for intellectual disabilities studies

Researchers developed five language outcome measures using expressive language sampling (ELS) to assess treatment efficacy in individuals with fragile X syndrome and intellectual disabilities. The study found that ELS yielded valid and reliable measures for most participants, but were more challenging for younger or less able individuals.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalJournal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders·DateMar 23, 2020

Study links responsible behavior in high school to life success 50 years later

A new study by University of Illinois researchers found that students who behaved responsibly in high school, showed interest, and had good writing skills tend to earn higher incomes and have higher occupational prestige 50 years later. Education was the factor mediating this relationship.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateFeb 26, 2018

Kids with chronic kidney disease have lower IQs and poorer educational outcomes

Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience deficits in academic skills, visual and verbal memory, and executive function, according to a new study. The analysis of 34 studies found that CKD patients have an average IQ 10 points lower than healthy children, with those on dialysis showing an even greater decline.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalClinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateFeb 22, 2018

Visual intelligence is not the same as IQ

A new study reveals that visual intelligence is a separate entity from general intelligence (IQ), with considerable individual differences among people. Researchers developed a novel test to measure visual object recognition and found that performance on this task was not predictive of IQ.

SourceVanderbilt University·JournalCurrent Directions in Psychological Science·DateNov 8, 2017

Willingness to take risks -- a personality trait

Researchers found a stable general factor of risk preference that affects decisions across different areas of life. This trait shares the psychometric structure of major psychological characteristics and can be measured using self-reports and frequency measures of actual risky activities.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalScience Advances·DateOct 30, 2017

Higher IQ in childhood is linked to a longer life

A large study found that higher childhood intelligence is associated with a lower lifetime risk of death from various causes, including respiratory disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke. The study of over 65,000 individuals suggests that lifestyle factors like tobacco smoking play a significant role in this relationship.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalThe BMJ·DateJun 28, 2017