Separate contributions of general intelligence and right prefrontal neurocognitive functions to academic achievement at university level

We examined the ability of an IQ test (the WAIS-IV) to predict grade point averages (GPA) in a sample of 64 undergraduate students. We also included a battery of five neuropsychological assessments of frontal-lobe functions, all known to be unrelated to general intelligence and linked to right-prefrontal function. Regression analysis with stepwise entry of variables revealed separate contributions to the variation in GPA scores explained by general intelligence and two different measures of response inhibition (Stop-signal and Hayling). The addition of the inhibition measures more than doubled the amount of variance in GPA explained by general intelligence alone, from adjusted R 2 =.115 to adjusted R 2 =.239, suggesting an important role of right prefrontal-mediated response inhibition in high-level academic achievement. This contrasts with the mainly left-hemisphere contribution from general intelligence.
Source: Trends in Neuroscience and Education - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research