Sad news for the eagle-eyed: specs-wearers really are smarter

PEOPLE who wear glasses really are more intelligent, genetic researchers have found, laying to rest a centuriesold cliché.

Experts at the University of Edinburgh analysed the genetic data of more than 44,480 people and found that the most intelligent were nearly 30 per cent more likely to have to wear glasses than those who scored poorly.

Published in the journal Nature Communications, the research also linked higher cognitive ability to genes known to play a part in better cardiovascular health.

The research team examined 148 regions of the human genome related to better cognitive function, including 58 that have not previously been reported and said the results could help understanding the decline in cognitive function as people age.

Dr Gail Davies, of the university’s Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, who led the analysis, said: “This study has identified many genetic differences that contribute to the heritability of thinking skills. The discovery of shared genetic effects on health outcomes and brain structure provides a foundation for exploring the mechanisms by which these differences influence thinking skills throughout a lifetime.”

Participants in the study took thinking tests to attain a general cognitive ability score. All were healthy and were genetically tested for their DNA.