INTELLIGENCE-RELATED Health Status in Subjects With Intact and Damaged Brain

Abstract

Health state reflects the degree of well-being of an individual on the physiological, psychic and social levels. By considering a disease as adaptation disturbance and the nervous system as a major regulator of the functional equilibrium of all organism systems it is logical to conclude on indirect connection between intelligence and health. To study plasticity of functional neuronal networks determining human adaptability we analysed the relationship between IQ and SF-36 scales in patients with brain tumours vs. control subjects. Significant positive correlations between scores in solving figural tasks and ‘Physical function’ and ‘Vitality’ scales in control group were found. Patients with brain tumour were characterized by positive relation between general IQ and ‘Role of interactions due to emotional problem’ scale as well as between efficiency of solving verbal tasks and ‘Role of interactions due to physical problem’. The variable relationships between intellectual abilities and SF-36 scores can be ascribed to flexible strategies of information selection and potential adaptability in individuals with brain damage due to compensatory reconstructions in neuronal systems.