Children's Intelligence Is Inherited from Mother, Check the Explanation According to Research
YOGYAKARTA = Many parents are curious about where children's intelligence actually comes from. One theory that is often discussed in the world of parenting is that children's intelligence is inherited from the mother. A number of genetic studies do show that genes inherited from the mother have an important influence on brain development. Even so, scientists also emphasize that children's intelligence is still influenced by various other factors, including the environment and parenting patterns.
One of the scientific explanations is related to chromosomes. Biologically, women have two X chromosomes (XX), while men have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). Many genes related to brain development are known to be on the X chromosome. Since the mother has two X chromosomes, the chance of the child inheriting certain genes related to the cognitive function of the mother becomes greater.
One of the foundations of the theory comes from research on genomic imprinting conducted by Bruce M. Cattanach and a team of researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell, England in the early 1990s. In experiments on mice, researchers observed how genes from mother and father affect embryonic development. The results showed that embryos with a predominance of genes from the mother tend to have a larger brain development, while genes from the father more affect the growth of other body tissues. These findings then became one of the foundations of the hypothesis that maternal genes play an important role in the development of the mammalian brain.
Another study that supports the role of genes from the mother was conducted by Christopher Gregg and Catherine Dulac from Harvard University. The study, published in the journal Science in 2010, analyzed gene expression in the brains of mice and found more than 1,300 genes that showed the influence of parental origin. In the study, genes inherited from the mother were found to be more active in the early stages of brain development, while the influence of genes from the father tends to increase at more mature stages of life.
In addition to genetic factors, the nurturing environment also has a major role in children's intelligence development. Research conducted by researchers at the University of Washington for about seven years observed the emotional relationship between mother and child. The results showed that children who have a secure emotional relationship with their mother have a hippocampus size about 10 percent larger at age 13 than children who lack emotional support.
The hippocampus is a part of the brain that plays an important role in memory, learning processes, and the ability to manage stress. This means that emotional closeness between mother and child not only affects the family relationship, but is also related to the development of the child's brain structure.
Although some studies show that children's intelligence is inherited from the mother, citing YourTango, Monday, March 9, scientists emphasize that intelligence is not the result of a single factor. Genes from both parents, learning environments, early stimulation, to emotional relationships in the family all contribute to children's intellectual abilities. With the support of warm parenting and a learning-supportive environment, children's intelligence potential can develop more optimally.