Title
Cortical thickness correlates of specific cognitive performance accounted for by the general factor of intelligence in healthy children aged 6 to 18.
Abstract
Prevailing psychometric theories of intelligence posit that individual differences in cognitive performance are attributable to three main sources of variance: the general factor of intelligence (g), cognitive ability domains, and specific test requirements and idiosyncrasies. Cortical thickness has been previously associated with g. In the present study, we systematically analyzed associations between cortical thickness and cognitive performance with and without adjusting for the effects of g in a representative sample of children and adolescents (N=207, Mean age=11.8; SD=3.5; Range=6 to 18.3years). Seven cognitive tests were included in a measurement model that identified three first-order factors (representing cognitive ability domains) and one second-order factor representing g. Residuals of the cognitive ability domain scores were computed to represent g-independent variance for the three domains and seven tests. Cognitive domain and individual test scores as well as residualized scores were regressed against cortical thickness, adjusting for age, gender and a proxy measure of brain volume. g and cognitive domain scores were positively correlated with cortical thickness in very similar areas across the brain. Adjusting for the effects of g eliminated associations of domain and test scores with cortical thickness. Within a psychometric framework, cortical thickness correlates of cognitive performance on complex tasks are well captured by g in this demographically representative sample.
Year
DOI
Venue
2011
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.01.016
NeuroImage
Keywords
Field
DocType
General intelligence,Cognitive abilities,Cognitive performance,Cognitive domains,Factor analysis,Cortical thickness
Developmental psychology,Cognitive test,g factor,Psychology,Cognitive psychology,Brain size,Test requirements,Cognition,Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
55
4
1053-8119
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
12
0.76
11
Authors
10
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Sherif Karama1655.15
Roberto Colom2505.91
Wendy Johnson3181.29
Ian J Deary4277.04
Richard J Haier5161.23
Deborah P. Waber6252.03
Claude Lepage7172.59
Hooman Ganjavi8120.76
Rex E. Jung910210.63
Alan C. Evans103045574.95