Brain area necessary for fluid intelligence identified

Brain puzzle - A team led by UCL and UCLH researchers have mapped the parts of the brain that support our ability to solve problems without prior experience - otherwise known as fluid intelligence. Fluid intelligence is arguably the defining feature of human cognition. It predicts educational and professional success, social mobility, health, and longevity. It also correlates with many cognitive abilities such as memory. Fluid intelligence is thought to be a key feature involved in "active thinking" - a set of complex mental processes such as those involved in abstraction, judgment, attention, strategy generation and inhibition. These skills can all be used in everyday activities - from organising a dinner party to filling out a tax return. Despite its central role in human behaviour, fluid intelligence remains contentious, with regards to whether it is a single or a cluster of cognitive abilities, and the nature of its relationship with the brain.