Why are some children geniuses? What is the impact? – 01/24/2024 – Balance

You’ve certainly met — in your own family, in the neighborhood or on television programs — children who have extraordinary and surprising abilities for their age.

Some are excellent at mathematics, others were born with an exceptional aptitude for playing a musical instrument.

There are also those who exceed all expectations in a sport or create drawings with the skill of a master of fine arts.

But what are the factors that influence the formation of a “little genius”? And is it possible to stimulate intelligence —or at least certain abilities— from an early age?

To find answers to these and other questions, BBC News Brasil spoke with doctor Magda Lahorgue Nunes, professor of Neurology at PUC-RS (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul) and researcher at the Brain Institute, in Porto Alegre.

The specialist, who also coordinates the Department of Neurology at the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics, points out that the concept of childhood genius has undergone a series of transformations in recent years — and today there are more ways to understand and evaluate intelligence in the first years of life.

She also warns of the risk of certain gifts and abilities becoming a burden if the child starts to be recognized and overcharged for them.

Where genius is born

Nunes recalls that, for many decades, the IQ (intelligence quotient) test was the main — if not the only — way of measuring someone’s cognitive ability.

It is worth highlighting here that IQ is a type of test that assesses a series of skills. It is applied to hundreds or thousands of individuals of different age groups. From there, it is possible to define an average result for each age and highlight those who deviate from the curve — that is, who perform better or worse on the test.

“More recently, we have begun to observe genius in individuals who possess creative and innovative abilities that are out of the ordinary,” she says.

“The IQ test remains one of the tools, but the definition of this genius has become broader and somewhat more ambiguous.”

But where does this unusual intelligence come from and how does it arise?

The most recent scientific evidence indicates that there are a series of factors that, together, explain these cases, according to the neuropediatrician.

“Evidently, there must be some genetic basis for this, although we have not yet found specific genes related to this issue”, she points out.

“Secondly, we need to take into account the environment in which the child is raised, which has a direct impact on their behavioral and cognitive issues”, adds the neuropediatrician.

In practical terms, if the individual receives age-appropriate intellectual stimulation from an early age, this helps to stimulate the brain and certain abilities.

“A favorable environment is not necessarily full of expensive toys. The most important thing is to grow up in a home where that child is stimulated, cared for and loved”, teaches Nunes.

A study carried out by Finnish, Swedish, Austrian, Spanish and German institutions and published in 2022 attempted to explain what were the determinants of advanced cognitive performance in children and adolescents.

The authors conclude that a mix of activities brings benefits in terms of intelligence, especially when they are challenging from a cognitive point of view.

“Reading is positively associated with cognitive performance, regardless of age, and should be promoted,” they highlight.

Still in the area of ​​external factors, it is not possible to ignore the impact of good nutrition and physical activity. Studies suggest that both influence cognitive development in any age group.

Finally, there is also the role of positive reinforcement. Parents who observe in their children a certain aptitude for music or football, for example, tend to give them instruments or footballs as gifts and pay more attention to how these skills develop.

A valuable window

But is there any area of ​​the brain that is overdeveloped in these little geniuses?

Nunes points out that, for a long time, it was believed that above-average intelligence was related to the level of maturation of a region of gray matter called the prefrontal cortex, which is located in the region close to the forehead.

“But nowadays, thanks to studies with functional magnetic resonance imaging and other techniques, we know that this area related to intelligence is much broader”, explains the doctor.

“In fact, it’s not about a specific place. The most relevant thing here is the network of neurons and how these cells connect and interact with each other”, she adds.

One of the studies detailing these aspects was published in 2014 by experts from the Basque Center for Cognition, Brain and Language, in Spain, and the universities of California in Berkeley and Davis, in the United States.

“Improvements in higher cognitive functions from childhood to adulthood reflect the integration of complex and widely distributed brain systems,” the scientists write.

In other words, the way in which neurons — responsible for transmitting nerve impulses related to reasoning and memory, among other functions — “talk” and create strong connections seems to be decisive here.

In fact, the formation of a solid neuronal network from childhood is important throughout life, according to researchers — and can even delay the appearance of signs of dementia in old age.

Nunes adds that, during our training, there is a valuable window, in which cognitive stimuli bring even deeper impacts.

“This brain plasticity is at its maximum until the age of three”, she points out.

In this context, the term plasticity refers precisely to this ability of nerve cells to modify themselves and establish strong connections through learning and external stimuli.

Nunes highlights the work of American economist James Heckman. He defends the idea that investing in early childhood, in these first years of life, is the main strategy for forming citizens with more skills and capabilities.

“And this has a basis in neuroscience, because we are talking about the period of greatest brain ability,” she says.

“Therefore, if the individual receives this initial support, it becomes easier for them to perform better and have a higher quality of life later on.”

And, for someone who already naturally possesses unusual intelligence or an exceptional specific ability, these stimuli can represent the necessary leap to reach a certain status of genius in a certain area of ​​knowledge.

“On the other hand, a person may even have a certain skill, but if they grow up in an unfavorable environment, they do not develop it”, observes Nunes.

It is worth considering here that, even though the first three years of life actually represent this valuable window, exercising the brain at any age is fundamental to keeping memory and reasoning sharp.

When genius becomes a burden

Nunes warns that, depending on how the child’s out-of-the-curve intelligence is seen by older people, it can become a source of distress for younger people.

“It’s positive that parents recognize their children’s abilities and encourage them”, she points out.

“But the child cannot become just that skill. We may be facing a mathematics genius, but he is still a child.”

This happens when the boy or girl is only recognized for the gift they have, and can no longer do anything else or are even discouraged from exploring other areas of knowledge.

“At that moment, it stops being something that the child enjoys, is happy to do, and becomes a burden”, highlights the neuropediatrician.

“The role of parents here is to seek a balance and never place such big responsibilities or expectations on young children,” she concludes.

This text was originally published here.