Karestan C. Koenen|Terrie E. Moffitt|Andrea L. Roberts|Laurie T. Martin|Laura D. Kubzansky|HonaLee Harrington|Richie Poulton|Avshalom Caspi
Childhood IQ and Adult Mental Disorders: A Test of the Cognitive Reserve Hypothesis
objective cognitive reserve proposed important etiology neuropsychiatric disorders however tests association premorbid iq adult mental disorders schizophrenia limited inconclusive authors tested hypothesis low childhood iq associated increased risk severity adult mental disorders method participants members representative 19721973 birth cohort 1037 males females dunedin new zealand followed age 32 96 retention wiscr iq assessed ages 7 9 11 research diagnoses dsm mental disorders made ages 18 21 26 32 results lower childhood iq associated increased risk developing schizophrenia spectrum disorder adult depression adult anxiety lower childhood iq also associated greater comorbidity persistence depression association persistence generalized anxiety disorder nearly significant higher childhood iq predicted increased risk adult mania conclusions lower cognitive reserve reflected childhood iq antecedent several common psychiatric disorders also predicts persistence comorbidity thus many patients seek mental health treatment may lower cognitive ability considered prevention treatment planning