Yes, there is an emerging body of research indicating that people in their formative years, i.e., before adulthood, can increase their IQ through educational experiences. In a longitudinal study, 33 teenagers of average age 14.1 years were administered an IQ test and a structural brain scan in 2004 and then again in 2007, when their average age was 17.7 years. It was found that during this period, the average IQ of the group had changed very little; however about 20% of the participants showed a positive or negative change in IQ of at least 15 points (one standard deviation). Individual changes in verbal IQ in some cases ranged between –20 and +23, while non-verbal IQ changed between –28 and +17. Furthermore, increases in IQ were positively correlated with increased cortical density and volume in the parts of the brain responsible for language and movement. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed that positive changes in IQ corresponded to increased gray matter in sections of the brain associated with those cognitive functions. Summarizing their findings, the researchers reported:*
Our results emphasize the possibility that an individual’s intellectual capacity relative to their peers can decrease or increase in the teenage years. This would be encouraging to those whose intellectual potential may improve, and would be a warning that early achievers may not maintain their potential.
Indeed, during the simultaneous processes of neuron production and neural pruning, your brain increases neurons in those regions that are most often stimulated and prunes in those areas where there is little activity. Reading, studying, problem solving and stimulating your brain throughout your teen years can increase your cognitive ability.
Reference: Ramsden, Sue. et al. 2011. “Verbal and non-verbal intelligence changes in the teenage brain.” Nature. Vol. 479. pp. 113-116.
