Psychologists generally agree that your genetics determine your intellectual potential, however, environmental factors play a key role in helping you maximize that intellectual capital. Your teen years offer a special opportunity to hone your intellectual abilities because, as you enter puberty, there occurs a round of rapid and extensive production of neurons and synapses that is followed by extensive neural pruning. By the end of adolescence, the pruning results in a decrease of between 5 and 10 percent of your brain mass, but your brain will have efficiently attuned itself to the environment in which it needs to function. You can see the restructuring of the neural networks of the prefrontal cortex in real time at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0rHZ_RDdyQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0rHZ_RDdyQ)
Throughout this development, we might expect that your IQ would remain relatively stable, because IQ is a measure of intelligence relative to others of the same age. However, recent research indicates that while the average IQ of those in the same age cohort is relatively stable over a span of several years, the IQ of an *individual* can change significantly during this period. 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). Furthermore, 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: (see Ramsden, Sue. et al. 2011. “Verbal and non-verbal intelligence changes in the teenage brain.” Nature. Vol. 479. pp. 113-116.”)
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 rapid neuron growth and pruning that transpires from infancy through adolescence, your brain was in constant flux, changing your personality, your habit of mind and who you are. That’s why the “you” who entered high school is very different from the “you” who will graduate university. Your ideas, beliefs, and manner of thinking will change dramatically through your experiences and intellectual challenges as axons grow, connecting neurons to form a complex network of interconnections. Emerging from adolescence like a butterfly from the pupa, you will come fully equipped with an adult brain–a neural network containing your sense of self, your passions, your instinctive behaviors, your beliefs, and your capacity to learn.
The bottom line: immerse yourself in things that stimulate your brain. Solve puzzles, study mathematics, read great literature, and learn everything you can. Reflect on what you’ve learned, challenge your beliefs, and investigate the many wonders of this magical world. You will develop a passion for life, acquire a love of learning, and develop a confidence in your mental abilities. By seeking an answer to this question, you’ve taken an important first step.
