What can impair intelligence?

[Thales]

I'm just postulating that there are a whole host of things that can impair intelligence. I'm sure there are plenty of psychiatric diseases and neurological that can cause this. Any ideas?

 

[Zionoxis]

Well, there is always giving into emotions too often. That always creates a total pain in the ass.

 

[17pounder]

For me, food effects my intelligence in massive ways. Caffeine is the devil, murders my IQ, reduces my vision, gives me insane anxiety, its just god awful.
If I dont eat breakfast It slows me down significantly, and since I keep stats of my work, its roughly 20% reduction, but can be as much as 70%, which means when I eat right and avoid caffeine, I can literally do more than twice as much than if I dont eat and have a cup of Joe.
On a bad day, 50 files, on a good day 180. Caffeine messes with me so much, It reduces my performance more than the flu.

Being surrounded by people who are vindictive really effects my ability to put energy into learning. People like that are such wastes of oxygen. Stress from illogical people increases cortisol in the brain, which causes damage over time.

 

[a detached retina]

Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Sleep Deprivation

Poor nutrition, Lack of exercise, Lack of stimulation, Too much caffeine, Too much sugar.

These are most common reasons and they are reversible.

 

[a detached retina]

depression and anxiety can cause permanent brain damage but it has to be really really really severe and untreated for a long time

 

[Solitaire U.]

Academia
Credentials
Power

 

[Fukyo]

Academia
Credentials
Power

Nice.

 

[Taniwha]

Over working and stress does it for me.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

depression and anxiety can cause permanent brain damage but it has to be really really really severe and untreated for a long time

Oh snap. How severe? How long? :/

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Religion and or socialism.

 

[Fukyo]

Oh snap. How severe? How long? :/

Don't panic just yet... http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/07/06/head_fake/?page=1

 

[Anthile]

Religion and or socialism.

http://www.flamewarriors.com/warriorshtm/capitalista.htm

 

[Jah]

Are you talking about reducing the current level of intelligence, the ability to apply it or the future prospects of reaching the subjects maximal potential ?

 

[Words]

This question seems a bit too open. Are we talking strictly neurological?

socialism.

pfft.



Extremism.

 

[Yet]

schizophrenia
not properly sticking to medical treatment of diabetes
al sorts of metabolic diseases
every substance that influences your REM (alcohol, weed, etc.)
sleep deprivation
malnutrition
high cortisol or adrenalin levels for a longer period

not using your brain also makes IQ drop

 

[BigApplePi]

I'm just postulating that there are a whole host of things that can impair intelligence. I'm sure there are plenty of psychiatric diseases and neurological that can cause this. Any ideas?

Here are some temporaries:

1. Overeating
2. Sleepiness
3. Thought saturation
4. External distractions
5. Suggestions one is not intelligent

 

[Thales]

This question seems a bit too open. Are we talking strictly neurological?





pfft.



Extremism.

Yep, good point as upon retrospect the question is a bit too broad. So, I guess a better way to re-phrase it would be "What can impair someone's ability to display their innate intellectual faculties?, whether it be on standardized tests or in the manipulation of their environment. Such impairments are likely numerous and crosses such a large range as personality factors, very individual pathologies (ex: subject is scared of paper), psychiatric, neurological causes. Also, the listing of potential temporary impairments, rather than permanent, would be most useful, I think.

 

[CoryJames]

Accepting anything as an absolute truth or fact. The more paradigm glasses you wear, the less you see. The less you see, the less you understand. The less you understand, the less able you are to process things as they are, which is relative, situational and multidimensional.

It is my opinion that the more able one is to examine their existence and everything it entails from many different, objective (as possible) perspectives, the more intelligent they are.

As soon as one begins to accept something as an unalterable truth or "way it is", one prevents oneself from realizing any number of possibilities. The nature of the universe is that of infinite possibility, and when until w e approach life with that mindset, we will not expand our own realm of possibility to the infinite.

 

[Dr. Manhattan]

getting angry or sad

 

[Fukyo]

While intelligence tests are great at measuring things like memory and learning capacity as well as the ability to perform logical tasks, they fail to measure an important component of intelligence — namely, the ability to behave and think rationally in every-day life. Stanovich calls this the “rational intelligence” or “RQ” for short.

Currently, IQ tests don’t distinguish these two types of people, therefore making it possible to achieve a very high score on the WAIS and still make very unintelligent decisions in real life. Consider former American president George W. Bush’s 120 IQ, or the fact that 44 per cent of Mensa members believe in astrology. Part of the problem is that while IQ tests can assess the ability to think in cognitively complex ways, they don’t measure people’s propensity to actually do so.

http://www.themanitoban.com/articles/23497

Emotions, ideologies and religion might impair judgement, but they don't necessarily impair intelligence as relevant to IQ testing.

 

[BigApplePi]

getting angry or sad

To add to that, any emotion if Fi or Fe is an inferior function. If they are a superior function, then can't tell.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Brain damage?

 

[kantor1003]

The more paradigm glasses you wear, the less you see. The less you see, the less you understand.

I disagree. I agree with the logic behind it, but I don't think you'll ever be free from seeing things through what you call "paradigm glasses". So, to that effect, what about this: the more "paradigm glasses" you are able to wear, while being conscious of yourself wearing them, the more you'll be able to understand.
You agree with me "It is my opinion that the more able one is to examine their existence and everything it entails from many different, objective (as possible) perspectives, the more intelligent they are."
But what are these objective, as possible, perspectives, if not models you have used to structure reality? How does it differ from your "paradigm glasses"?

 

[CoryJames]

In my experience, paradigms are not something one can simply remove as pleased. Rather, they are value and belief systems that are concrete and relatively unchangeable, at least not on a whim. I believe that one filters their observations through the paradigm, thus initially interpreting what they observe based on whichever different presuppositions, which would in turn effect (hinder/render incapable) their ability to understand or analyze it from a different perspective, as they already assume several things about their observations to be unequivocally true.

 

[BigApplePi]

Cory, since you brought up one's penis, that could impair intelligence if sufficiently activated.

 

[CoryJames]

Nah man. Penises just have a bad VP of PR. He's the guy everyone should love, all he does is enable you to have sex, and then goes and has his nerves tell the brain to make it feel good. It's the balls that are horndogs, them and the pituitary and the adrenal glands, always making it hard to focus when you see boobies. Poor penis takes all the blame and all he does is slave to make you happy.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Religion and or socialism.

I'm a socialist.
Why do you think I'm impairing my intelligence hm?
Because I'd rather have my doctor be someone who has passion for his work and wants to help people instead of a greedy douchebag who is insensitive to people?
I feel offended.

Don't panic just yet... http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/07/06/head_fake/?page=1

Wow.
It still doesn't make much sense to me, though. My dad would have severely impaired intelligence since he has severely suffered from depression quite a bit in the past. He's one of the most intelligent (albeit sometimes very hardheaded) people I know.

I think depression is more of a psychological issue, then. At least for my dad (and probably me)... I mean... I don't know, I just can't really imagine that my neurons are dying all the time.

Physical exercise works wonders though.

 

[Yet]

Cory, since you brought up one's penis, that could impair intelligence if sufficiently activated.

yep heard about that one, more risky behaviour in state of arousal, less rational thinking.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2330358/Influence-of-Sexual-Arousal-on-Decision-Making

 

[Thales]

Don't panic just yet... http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/07/06/head_fake/?page=1

That was a very interesting, I've read similar articles. The "mild neurodegenerative illness" part was an interesting way to phrase it.

More info along these lines would be most helpful. Anything that has been scientifically proven to temporarily decrease the ability to display cognitive capacity.

 

[jachian]

Aspartame

MSG

Alcohol

Nicotine

Caffeine

Pop Music

TV

City Life

High School

Election Campaigns

Alan Greenspan

Ganga

Coke (both the drinking and sniffing types)

Meth

Porn

The Final Fantasy Series

 

[Dimensional Transition]

So basically you can't escape from it.

 

[mke2686]

I'm just postulating that there are a whole host of things that can impair intelligence. I'm sure there are plenty of psychiatric diseases and neurological that can cause this. Any ideas?

being around people of lesser intellect as i tend to become the people i surround my self with.

 

[Zmaster]

I have a working theory that intelligence can be linked to the amount of water in your body and the amount of salt in your blood stream. I've found that sugar makes us humans less smart because it reduces that amount of water in the body. Salt helps in water retention and therefore helps promote a more stable mind. That is why most books that deal with metaphysics usually promote eating fruits and vegetables to "aid" in letting go of the consious self. It's the sugar in fruit that does this. On the reverse Meat tends to add salt to the body because of its association with blood. If you want the best way to expand your mind without having to slip into a complete state of unconsiousness EAT a Pizza with plenty of water. The high salt content will keep you consious but the body will turn the carbs into sugar and you will slowly be able to expand your intuitive processes to see things in a different light.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

I have a working theory that intelligence can be linked to the amount of water in your body and the amount of salt in your blood stream. I've found that sugar makes us humans less smart because it reduces that amount of water in the body. Salt helps in water retention and therefore helps promote a more stable mind. That is why most books that deal with metaphysics usually promote eating fruits and vegetables to "aid" in letting go of the consious self. It's the sugar in fruit that does this. On the reverse Meat tends to add salt to the body because of its association with blood. If you want the best way to expand your mind without having to slip into a complete state of unconsiousness EAT a Pizza with plenty of water. The high salt content will keep you consious but the body will turn the carbs into sugar and you will slowly be able to expand your intuitive processes to see things in a different light.

April fools'!

 

[Solitaire U.]

Meth

...is actually known to enhance various aspects of cognitive function. The available data on caffeine tends toward a similar suggestion. Strange caffeine has been mentioned so many times in this thread. Perhaps there is greater underlying motivation to use these substances as distractors rather than enhancers.

Satirical intent of your list notwithstanding, of course...

 

[Thales]

This probably sounds crazy, but I think there was a study done where very small amounts of meth were shown to dissipate ADHD symptoms, and thus, cognitive functioning.

 

[Solitaire U.]

That does sound pretty crazy, given that ADHD is generally regarded as cognitive dis-function and Ritalin is, essentially, meth.

 

[Thales]

I sense sarcasm. :P

 

[snafupants]

Routine, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, stress, sleep deprivation, cable television, pollution, etc.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

I've been wondering... Is alcohol really that intelligence impairing in the long-term?
If anything it has helped many people make more contacts in social occasions.
I'm talking about moderate to low consumption here.

 

[Yet]

I've been wondering... Is alcohol really that intelligence impairing in the long-term?
If anything it has helped many people make more contacts in social occasions.
I'm talking about moderate to low consumption here.

I believe it has to do with amount and how regular it is taken in.

anyways ... living impairs intelligence ... so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. You probably got some inteligence to spare anyway.

 

[crippli]

I've been wondering... Is alcohol really that intelligence impairing in the long-term?
If anything it has helped many people make more contacts in social occasions.
I'm talking about moderate to low consumption here.

Research is consistent that drinking no alcohol or too much increases the risk of cognitive impairment.

But I'm not sure what exactly is meant with too much. In the moment, over a period of time or a combination. I guess it's drinking no alcohol and too much over a period of time that will impair intelligence.

 

[snafupants]

Research is consistent that drinking no alcohol or too much increases the risk of cognitive impairment.

But I'm not sure what exactly is meant with too much. In the moment, over a period of time or a combination. I guess it's drinking no alcohol and too much over a period of time that will impair intelligence.

Apparently Anheuser-Busch funds some of those studies, from what I've heard, so those findings should be taken with a grain of salt. Another way of looking at it is that smart people could be more prone to drinking anyway, so alcohol doesn't really do anything notable beyond providing a specious correlation. Moderate drinking doesn't do much to impair intelligence; people are endowed with one hundred billion neurons and they atrophy anyway with age: you might as well have a good time. Another thing is that alcohol tweaks the neuronal ending, the dendrite, and doesn't kill brain cells per se. I would be more worried about frying your liver or stressing your kidneys and blood vessels through drinking copious amounts of anything. Like you can die from drinking a few gallons of water within an hour, so when I see kids doing a keg stand I wince.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Yeah... It all really depends on the dosage... Moderation seems to be the key to everything in life pretty much.

 

[Thales]

I thought I read somewhere that severe, habitual drinking can lead to permanent brain damage. I'm not sure if that's true, though.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

I thought I read somewhere that severe, habitual drinking can lead to permanent brain damage. I'm not sure if that's true, though.

Are you trying to troll me now or something?

 

[Solitaire U.]

^ Yeah, it's your turn...time to shift into sarcasm mode!

I've been wondering... Is alcohol really that intelligence impairing in the long-term?
If anything it has helped many people make more contacts in social occasions.
I'm talking about moderate to low consumption here.

That's a good point, and kind of what I was driving at (though using the opposite example of CNS stimulants). As alcohol temporarily lowers socializing inhibitions, so too does it impair things like attentiveness, decisiveness, and even the basic motor skills needed to execute them. Meth's range of effects could be described as the direct opposite. Using with intent tends to optimize the effects of both, but the real trick is in maintaining the balance. Drink within reason and you'll be a social butterfly, drink excessively and you'll become more of a social stain spreading across the carpet (though you'll still be sociable). Meth within reason and safely drive for 48 hours straight, but stretch it out to 72 hours and you'll be swerving to avoid shadows (though still swerving competently, FWIW).

There really is no universal default for intelligence ...far too many catalysts are involved.

 

[a detached retina]

So basically you can't escape from it.

Yeah you just have to get lots of sunlight, exercise, and social interaction and eat and sleep well. Which should be difficult enough if you're an INTP

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Exactly. And not eat or drink anything that contains certain chemicals, avoid certain locations in the world...
And pretty much everything that provides cheap fun is bad for you, sadly. Except for masturbation I guess, unless someone is able to enlighten me with information on how that's bad for your intelligence.

 

[BigApplePi]

Except for masturbation I guess, unless someone is able to enlighten me with information on how that's bad for your intelligence.

Certainly. Just run the experiment. You will need 100 people and 50 controls. I'm going to stick my neck out and guess that masturbating while taking a timed I.Q. test will lower your score by 30-40 points.