Children who score higher on intelligence tests tend to live longer. The pattern has appeared again and again in large population studies. But whether this link comes from environment, lifestyle, or biology has remained an open question.
A new study from the University of Edinburgh now points toward genetics as part of the explanation. Published in Genomic Psychiatry, the research provides GWAS-based (Genome-Wide Association Study) molecular evidence suggesting that some of the same genetic factors influencing childhood intelligence are also linked to lifespan.
The team, led by W. David Hill and Ian J. Deary, analyzed genome-wide data from two large groups. One included more than 12,000 people who had completed intelligence tests in childhood. The other contained parental lifespan information for nearly 390,000 individuals. Comparing the two allowed the researchers to see whether the same genetic patterns were involved in both traits.
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They discovered a genetic correlation of 0.35 between childhood cognitive ability and parental longevity, indicating that certain genetic factors influencing intelligence in early life are also associated with increased lifespan. The researchers also estimated the overall contribution of genetics, finding that common genetic variants (SNP-based heritability) explained about 27% of the variation in childhood intelligence and 29% in lifespan, with environmental and lifestyle influences accounting for the rest.
Since the intelligence data came from childhood, aging or diseases affecting cognition cannot easily explain the link. That strengthens the case that the connection reflects shared genetic influences rather than a side effect of deteriorating health.
The most likely explanation, the authors suggest, is pleiotropy—when the same genes influence more than one trait. Some genes may directly support both cognitive development and physical resilience, while others may act more indirectly, shaping intelligence in ways that influence lifestyle or environments that promote longevity. However, the analysis cannot prove which type of pleiotropy—direct or indirect—is responsible.
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The authors note that this pattern aligns with the “system integrity” view: the idea that a body whose biological systems are built and maintained efficiently tends to produce both sharper cognitive function and greater resistance to disease over time.
The study demonstrates the measurable overlap between the molecular genetics of intelligence and longevity and suggests that the connection seen in decades of social research may have deeper biological roots.
It is cautious about not taking genetic factors as the only determinant; environmental factors—education, social conditions, diet, healthcare—have major effects on how long people live.
As Hill and colleagues note, understanding these shared genetic influences could eventually help explain why some people’s brains and bodies appear to age more gracefully than others, and why early life advantages in cognitive development might resonate across an entire lifespan.
Story Source: Hill, W. D. & Deary, I. J. (2025), published in Genomic Psychiatry. Read the study here.