Die Radiologie - Assessment of the corpus callosum size in male individuals with high intelligence quotient (members of Mensa International)

Oct 3, 2026

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The study assesses corpus callosum dimensions in male Mensa International members, aiming to determine whether high intelligence quotient (IQ) status is associated with measurable brain morphology. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (TR 3200 ms, TE 409 ms) was used to evaluate 113 Mensa participants and 96 age-matched controls aged 21–40 years. Results indicate significantly larger corpus callosum length, isthmus thickness, frontal-to-occipital brain dimension, and cross-sectional area in the Mensa group. Findings support that CC linear and midsagittal surface measurements are greater in high-IQ individuals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages6

Reading Time15 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Material and method

Results

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Die Radiologie vormals Der Radiologe Original articles Radiologie [https://doi.org/10.1007/s001](https://doi.org/10.1007/s001) 17-023-01146-3 Accepted: 27 March 2023 © The Author(s) 2023 Assessment of the corpus callosum size in male individuals with high intelligence quotient (members of Mensa International) Andrzej Urbanik1 · Wiesław Guz2 · Marek Gołębiowski3 · Edyta Szurowska4 · Agata Majos5 · Marek Sąsiadek6 · Marek Stajgis7 · Monika Ostrogórska1 1 Department of Radiology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; 2 Department of Electroradiology, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland; 3 I-st Department of Clinical Radiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland; 4 2nd Department of Radiology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland; 5 Chair of Radiology and Imaging Diagnostics, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland; 6 Department of Radiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland; 7 Department of General Radiology and Neuroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the size of the corpus callosum in members of Mensa International, which is the world’s largest and oldest highintelligence quotient (IQ) society. Methods: We performed T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (Repetition Time, TR = 3200 ms, Time of Echo, TE = 409 ms) to examine the brain of members of Mensa International (Polish national group) in order to assess the size of the corpus callosum. Results from 113 male MENSA members and 96 controls in the age range of 21–40 years were analyzed. Results: The comparative analysis showed that the mean length of the corpus callosum and the thickness of the isthmus were signiﬁcantly greater in the Mensa members compared to the control groups. A statistically signiﬁcant diﬀerence was also identiﬁed in the largest linear dimension of the brain from the frontal lobe to the occipital lobe. The mean corpus callosum cross-sectional area and its ratio to the brain area were signiﬁcantly greater in the Mensa members. Conclusions: The results show that the dimensions (linear measures and midsagittal cross-sectional surface area) of the corpus callosum were signiﬁcantly greater in the group of Mensa members than in the controls. Keywords Brain · Isthmus thickness · Intelligence factors · Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) · Morphological measurements Introduction Intelligence is a broad and widely disputed concept in psychology used with reference to an individual’s capacities for cognitive performance. According toa definition generally accepted by researchers,“intelligence is avery general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve prob- lems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience. It is not merely book learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather it reﬂects a broader and deeper capability for comprehending our surroundings—‘catching on,’ ‘making sense’ of things, or ‘ﬁguring out’ what to do” [1] . Individuals vary in terms of the capacities referred to as intelligence, Die Radiologie 1 Fig. 1 8Measurement of a corpus callosum dimensions and b corpus callosum and brain areas.(symbols explained in the text).AB The largest linear dimension of the brain from the frontal lobe to the occipital lobe, CD callosal sectional length, EF cross-sectional thickness of the CC in the narrowest location—isthmus, AREA1 midsagittal callosal cross-sectional area, AREA2 midsagittal brain crosssectional area which is why tests have been devised to assess these capabilities [2] . A precursor to the currently used tools, a test designed to assess general intellectual capacities of childrenwas published in1905byAlfred Binet and Théodore Simon. In 1912 William Stern proposed a measurable index (intelligence quotient [IQ]) to describe the overall result achieved in intelligence test

FAQs

What was the objective of this study?

To assess the size of the corpus callosum in Mensa International members, a high-IQ society, and compare measurements with controls.

How were brain images acquired and analyzed?

T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed using specified TR and TE parameters, and corpus callosum dimensions were quantified from the midsagittal view.

What key differences were found between Mensa members and controls?

Mensa members showed significantly greater corpus callosum length, isthmus thickness, frontal-to-occipital brain dimension, and corpus callosum cross-sectional area, as well as a larger ratio to brain area.

Oct 3, 2026

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