Let's start with the conclusion: people with high IQ are often accompanied by mental illness and immune diseases with high probability, such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity disorder, asthma and immune diseases.

In a study published in Intelligence magazine last year, the author compared the data of 37 15 members of Mensa International in the United States with the data in the national database of the United States to analyze whether the disease prevalence rate of people with high IQ is significantly different from the average level.

The results showed that 20% more people with high IQ were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 80% with ADHD, 80% with anxiety, and 182% with at least one emotional disorder.

In terms of physiological diseases, people with high IQ are more likely to suffer from environmental allergy by 265,438+03%, asthma by 65,438+008% and autoimmune diseases by 84%.

The researchers analyzed in the paper that people with high IQ are often "intellectually overexcited" and have high sensitivity of the central nervous system. On the bright side, it helps them to do creative and artistic work. But this highly sensitive and reactive nervous system, which is different from ordinary people, will also lead to deeper depression and mental health problems. The same is true of poets, novelists and people with high language IQ. Their strong emotional response to the environment increases their tendency to reflect and worry, both of which are manifestations of depression and anxiety.

The researchers further pointed out that excessive psychological reaction will affect the immune system. Because people with excessive nervous system excitement may have a strong reaction to seemingly harmless external stimuli, such as annoying clothes labels or sounds (please make up Sheldon yourself), and this reaction will further turn into chronic stress and trigger an uncomfortable immune response.

When the body thinks it is in danger (whether it is an objective and real toxin or an imaginary annoying sound), it will induce a series of physiological reactions and activate countless hormones, neurotransmitters and signal molecules. When these pathways are activated for a long time, they will change our bodies and brains and even lead to asthma, allergies and autoimmune diseases.

Previous literature has also confirmed that the incidence of allergic diseases and asthma in gifted children is higher. A study shows that 44% of people with IQ over 160 suffer from allergies, while only 28% of their peers are of the same age.

As a researcher in the field of genomics (genome, transcriptome, epigenome, protein group), although the current scientific research can rarely give the scientific basis that "people with high IQ are more susceptible to mental illness" at the molecular mechanism level. But I believe that researchers will give more objective and accurate answers in the future, from genome to epigenetics, from the topological structure of 3D genome to the interaction with the environment.