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Is intelligence determined by nature or nurture? Over the past few decades, genetic studies have convinced psychologists that our genes play a considerable role in determining our intelligence levels - as much as half of the variation in intelligence among individuals may be due to heredity, research suggests.

The discovery, by Robert Plomin and his team at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, that a link exists between a specific gene and high intelligence strengthens the picture. A DNA marker introduced into the gene for insulinlike growth factor-2 receptor (IGF2R) on chromosome 6 showed that a variant of the gene appeared more often among 51 high intelligence children that among 51 children with more average abilities.

But Plomin and his colleagues hasten to point out that numerous genes contribute, either positively or negatively, to a person's level of intelligence. Neither does the IGF2R variant guarantee high intelligence - it appeared in almost half of the high intelligence children, as well as in almost a quarter of those with average intelligence. Robert J. Sternberg of Yale University adds to the complexity: the IGF2R gene may influence intelligence in conjunction with other genes or specific environments, he comments.

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