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Inverse Relationship Between Nonverbal Intelligence and the Parameters of

Pattern Reversal Visual Evoked Potentials in Left-Handed Male Subjects:
Importance of Right Brain and Testosterone
Üner Tan a; Ahmet AkgÜn b; Sezer Komsuoglu c; Munih Telatar d
a
Department of Physiology, Atatürk University, Medical Faculty, Erzurum, Turkey b Department of Physiology,
Black-Sea Technical University, Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey c Department of Neurology, Black-Sea
Technical University, Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey d Black-Sea Technical University, Medical Faculty,
Clinic for Internal Diseases, Trabzon, Turkey

Online Publication Date: 01 July 1993

To cite this Article Tan, Üner, AkgÜn, Ahmet, Komsuoglu, Sezer and Telatar, Munih(1993)'Inverse Relationship Between Nonverbal
Intelligence and the Parameters of Pattern Reversal Visual Evoked Potentials in Left-Handed Male Subjects: Importance of Right
Brain and Testosterone',International Journal of Neuroscience,71:1,189 — 200
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 Inreni. J. Nerrro.sciencr. 1993. Vol 71, pp 189-200 ‘C 1993 Gordon and Breach Science Publishcrs S.A.
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INVERSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

NONVERBAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE
PARAMETERS OF PATTERN REVERSAL VISUAL
EVOKED POTENTIALS IN LEFT-HANDED MALE
SUBJECTS: IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT BRAIN
AND TESTOSTERONE
UNER TAN
Atatiirk University, Medical Faculty, Department of Physiology, Erzurum, Turkey

AHMET AKGUN
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Black-Sea Technical University, Medical Faculty, Department of Physiology,

Trabzon, Turkey

SEZER KOMSUOGLU
Black-Sea Technical University, Medical Faculty, Department of Neurology,
Trabzon, Turkey

MUNIH TELATAR
Black-Sea Technical University, Medical Faculty, Clinic f o r Internal Diseases,
Trabzon, Turkey

(Received J i o i e 17. 1992; in f i n d form September 9, 1992)

The relationships between latencies of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and nonverbal intelligence test
scores (IQs from Cattell’s Culture Fair Intelligence Test) and correlations between serum testosterone
level and VEP latencies were studied to examine the neural speed hypothesis of intelligence and its
hormonal mechanisms in left-handed male subjects (Geschwind Scores). In accordance with the speed
theory of intelligence, NI and PI latencies (and amplitudes) were found to be inversely related to IQ.
However, this was true only for the right brain; the left brain did not contribute to this relationship.
There was an inverse relationship between serum testosterone level and PI latency; left minus right N1
latency, depending on N I latency from right brain, linearly increased with testosterone. I t was concluded
that nonverbal intelligence largely depends on speed of information processing only by the right brain,
not by the left brain in left-handed male subjects. This may have been created by testosterone in these
subjects. Inconsistencies in the IQ literature concerning the speed hypothesis of intelligence may be
explained by differences in cerebral lateralization.

KeTwords: Nonverbal in ~ellip w ce,visual evoked porerrtial. testostc’rone, left-hundedness. cerebrul lut-
ercilizutiorz.

In this work, the relation of nonverbal intelligence to latency and amplitude of visual
evoked potential was studied in left-handed male subjects. These parameters of visual
evoked potentials were also studied in relation to serum testosterone levels in the

Address correspondence to Prof. Dr. Uner Tan, Atatiirk University, Medical Faculty, Department of
Physiology, Erzurum, Turkey.

189
 190 U . TAN er a1

same subjects. Our primary aim was to analyze the concept of “speed of information
processing” as the biological origin of intelligence (see Eysenck, 1986). We have
expected that there would be an inverse relationship between latency of visual evoked
potentials and intelligence, since Galton (1892) has suggested a link between reaction
time and intelligence. A hundred years later, Eysenck (1986) has provided a detailed
analysis of this concept of intelligence in a review article. Eysenck (1982) posited
that “speed of information processing should be increasingly related to success in
cognitive tasks.” Lehrl & Fisher (1990) have reported that the correlation of speed
of information processing with global intelligence is substantial. Mackintosh (1986)
has stated that a high IQ is largely determined by the speed and efficiency of the
nervous system.
There have been many attempts to relate 1Q to visual and auditory evoked poten-
tials in humans, but with considerable controversy (see Mackintosh, 1986). Mack-
intosh has argued that the attempts to reduce IQ to some simple property of the
central nervous system has not greatly increased our understanding of IQ.
Ertl & Schafer (1969) have studied the relationship between latencies of squential
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visual evoked potentials and 1Q scores from Wechsler intelligence scale for children,
the primary mental abilities test, and the Otis quick scoring mental ability test. These
authors have found highly significant inverse correlations between the latencies of
sequential components of the visual evoked potentials and IQ scores from these in-
telligence tests. Ertl & Schafer have then stated that “our findings suggest that evoked
potentials, by the brain, could be the key to understanding the biological substrate
of individual differences in behavioral intelligence. ” In fact, many authors have at-
tempted to correlate electrophysiological variables with behavioral indices of intel-
ligence, but with considerable controversy (see Mackintosh, 1986). However, Ertl
& Schafer (1969) have stated that evoked potentials may reflect the neural correlates
of higher mental activity or information processing by the brain.
With regard to speed of information processing, Lehrl & Fisher (1990) have stated
that “this parameter may determine or constitute the efficiency of other simple ac-
tivities that are all related to global intelligence. ” These authors have concluded that
“the overall correlation of speed of information processing with global intelligence
is substantial.” Studies in my laboratory also supported this argument of speed of
information processing by brain with regard to intelligence. Tan (1991 c) has re-
ported an inverse relationship between nonverbal intelligence and the latency of
Hoffmann reflex from the right and especially left thenar muscles in left-handed
subjects, and from the right thenar muscles in right-handed subjects. Tan (in press)
has also reported that latencies of somatosensory evoked potentials from posterior
tibial nerves usually showed inverse correlations with nonverbal intelligence in right-
handed human subjects.
The above mentioned works and arguments suggest that there would be an inverse
relationship between intelligence and latency of evoked potentials. Visual evoked
potentials would be of importance with regard to nonverbal (spatial) intelligence.
Therefore, We have studied these potentials in relation to nonverbal intelligence.
It is also expected that serum testosterone levels would be inversely correlated
with latencies of evoked responses. Indeed, Tan (1991 a, b) has found that latencies
of Hoffmann reflex from thenar muscles are negatively linearly correlated with serum
testosterone levels in right-handed male and female subjects. Tan (1991 d) has also
reported that there is a negative linear correlation between serum testosterone level
and P1, N 1 , and P2 latencies of evoked potentials especially from the right posterior
tibial nerve in right-handed males with right-eye preference; there were some vari-
ations depending on eye preference, however. These studies suggested that speed of
 IQ, VEP, AND TESTOSTERONE 191

information processing by brain may be an important factor determining behavioral

intelligence; cerebral laterality, handedness, familial sinistrality , and sex-related dif-
ferences may create variations in this relationship, however. According to the speed
hypothesis, it is to be expected that there should also be an inverse relationship
between IQ and latency of visual evoked potentials, which was tested in the present
work.
It is also known that intelligence is closely related to serum testosterone levels
(Tan, 1990 a, b, c, in press; Tan & Akgun, in press). It is then to be expected that
latencies of the visual evoked potentials would be related to semm testosterone lev-
els. This was also studied in the present work, which largely supported the speed
hypothesis of intelligence. It will be shown in the present work that nonverbal in-
telligence assessed by Cattell's Culture Fair Intelligence Test shows inverse corre-
lation with latency and amplitude of visual evoked potential from right brain of left-
handed male subjects; VEPs from left brain did not show a correlation with IQ in
these subjects, however.
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METHODS
Subjects
Subjects were male students from Medical Faculty of the Black-Sea Technical Uni-
versity (Trabzon). These students ranged in age from 17 to 19 years, participated
voluntarily in the study, and did not have psychological and neurological signs and
symptoms.

Hand Preference
Hand preference was assessed by the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (Old field,
1971). Subjects having Geschwind scores (see Tan, 1988) smaller than zero were
considered left-handed.

Measurement of Serum Testosterone Level

Total testosterone level was measured using a Coat-A-Count-Kit supplied by Di-
agnostic Products Corporation. Aliquots of serum from venous blood of subjects
were placed in antibody-coated tubes. This antibody was high highly specific for
testosterone. Following adding of I'25-labeled testosterone, the tubes were incubated
and then counted in a gamma counter after decantation. Samples were read against
a logit-log representation of the calibration curve, which was prepared by addition
of known amounts of testosterone.

Visual Evoked Potentials

The subjects were seated in front of a television screen, inside an electrically shielded
and sound attenuated, dimly lit room. Chlorided disk electrodes were attached to the
scalp with collodion at 01 and 02 and referred to vertex according to the international
10-20 system. Electrode impedances were below 5000 Ohm. The ground electrode
was on the forehead.
The visual stimuli consisted of a black and white checkerboard pattern generated
on a TV screen placed 100 cm from the subject's nasion. The checkerboard was
 192 U . TAN et a1

phase-reversed at a rate of 1 Hz. Subjects were asked to look at a constantly illu-

minated fixation mark (red dot) on the television screen while the stimuli were pre-
sented.
Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were simultaneously recorded from the right and
left brain. During binocular full-field stimuli, 250 digitized pattern reversals were
summed, averaged, and stored on disk by computer. The averaged visual evoked
potentials were plotted on graph paper. The latencies, amplitudes, and areas of the
N1-P1 waves (N65 and P105) were measured by the computer’s cursor. Amplitudes
were measured peak-to-trough as the distance between the peak of the first major
negative wave (NI) and the peak of the first major positive wave (Pl). Data from
the right and left VEPs were analyzed statistically in relation to IQs and serum tes-
tosterone levels.

RESULTS
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I Q and Latency of VEPs

Latency of N I wave Figure 1 illustrates the relationships between IQ and N 1 latency
from the right (A) and left (B) brain. IQ was found to be negatively linearly cor-
related with latency of N1 wave from right brain. This was found to be statistically
significant: r = -.81, t = 2.81, d f = 5 , p = .048 (see Figure 1A). There was no
significant correlation between IQ and N1 latency from left brain: r = - .43, t =
.96, df = 5 , p = .39 (see Figure 1B).

Latency of PI wave Figure I also illustrates the relationships between IQ and la-
tency of PI wave from right (C) and left (D) brain. IQ was found to be negatively
linearly correlated with latency of the P1 wave from right brain. This was found to
be statistically significant: r = -.88, t = 3.79, df = 5, p = .019 (see Figure 1C).
There was, however, no significant correlation between IQ and PI latency from left
brain: r = .04, f = .08, df = 5 , p = .94 (see Figure ID).

I Q and Amplitude of VEPs

Figure 2 illustrates the relationships between IQ and NI-P1 wave from right (A)
and left (B) brain. IQ was found to be negatively linearly correlated with NI-P1
amplitude. This correlation was found to be statistically significant: r = -.80, t =
2.96, df = 6, p = .032 (see Figure 2A). There was, however, no significant cor-
relation between IQ and Nl-PI amplitude from left brain: r = .09, t = .21, df =
6, p = .84 (see Figure 2B).

I Q and Right Minus Left N I -PI Amplitude

Figure 3 illustrates the relationship between IQ and the difference (right minus left)
between Nl-PI amplitudes from right and left brains. IQ was found to be negatively
linearly correlated with right minus left N1-P1 amplitude. This was found to be
statistically significant: r = -.89, t = 4.40, df = 6, p = .007, r2 = .64, r2 (adjusted
f o r d ! = .56.
Figure 4 illustrates the relations of Nl-P1 amplitudes from right (B) and left (C)
brain to right minus left N1-P1 amplitude. There was a significant positive linear
correlation between Nl-PI amplitude from right brain and right minus left NI-P1
 IQ, VEP, AND TESTOSTERONE 193

A . IQ us LATENCY OF N l WAVE C . IQ us LATENCY OF P1 WAVE

(RIGHT BRAIN) (RIGHT BRAIN)
120

100
E
80

60
50 60 70 80 80 90 100
LATENCY (ms) LATENCY (ms)
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B . IQ us LATENCY OF N l WAVE D . IQ us LATENCY OF P1 WAVE

(LEFT BRAIN) (LEFT BRAIN)
.............................................. 120 '
w
........................... :..............

.............. .......

60 ................................ : . . . . . . . . . . . .:. 60 h
50 60 70 80 80 90 1 1 0 0
LATENCY (ms) LATENCY (ms)
FIGURE I Relationships between IQ and latencies of VEPs in left-handed male subjects Abscissa:
latency (ms) Ordinate: IQ. A: IQ vs N1 latency from right brain ( y = 176.0 - 1 . 3 1 ~ ) .B: IQ vs N1
latency from left brain ( y = 137.5 - .7x). C: IQ vs PI latency from right brain CY = 365.6 - 3 . 1 ~ ) .
D: IQ vs PI latency from left brain (J = 81.0 + .12s).

amplitude: r = .82, t = 3.24, df = 6, p = ,023, r2 = .68, r' adjusted for df = .61

(see Figure 4B). There was, however, no significant correlation between NI-PI
amplitude from left brain and right minus left N1-P1 amplitude: r = -.23, t = .52,
df = 6, p = .62 (see Figure 4C).

I Q and NI -PI Area

Figure 5 illustrates the relationship between IQ and the difference between N1-PI
areas from right and left brain. There was a highly significant negative linear cor-
relation between IQ and right minus left N1-P1 area: r = -.93, f = 4.96, df = 5 ,
p = ,008, r2 = .86, r2 (adjusted for dfi = .83.
The Nl-P1 area from right brain was found to be positively linearly correlated
with right minus left N1-P1 area. This correlation was found only marginally sig-
nificant, however: r = .70, t = 2.20, df = 6, p = ,079. There was no significant
correlation between Nl-P1 area from left brain and right minus left NI-P1 area: r
= .16, t = .37, df = 6 , p = .73.
 194 u. TAN et ~ i .

A. IQ US AHPLITUDE OF Nl-P1 WAVE

\
(RIGHT BRAIN)
110 C;.. . . . . . . . .................................. '4

-,,, 1 . . -i
, I j

s 90 :.,* 4.f. : --
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ;. . . .-.. . . _. . .. . ,
-#6:
.-.
5 -
: -. '
5
. . .
: --.:.\
: \ ,I -%
:\
70 ........................................... ..:

3 5 7 9 1 1
AMPL I TUDE
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B. IQ US AHPLITUDE OF Nl-PI WAVE

(LEFT BRAIN)
110 ..............................................

m
90

70
1 ; : :
;...*. . . . . . i . . . . . . . . . . . . .j.. . . . . . . . . . . . .I
:# mi
im
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .:.. . . . . . . . . . . . .:.. . . . . . . . . . . . .:.

3 5 7 9
AHPL I TUDE
FIGURE 2 Relationships between IQ and NI-PI amplitude from right (A) and left (B) brain Abscissa:
amplitude (microvolt) ordinate: y = 110.7 - 3 . 0 . ~in A; y = 87.4 + .6x in B.

Lafency and Testosterone

Figure 6 illustrates the relationships between latencies of VEPs and serum testos-
terone levels. There was no significant correlation between N1 latency from right
brain and serum testosterone level: r = - .43, t = 1.08, df = 6, p = .33 (see Figure
6A). There was, however, a significant negative linear correlation between latency
of P1 wave from right brain and serum testosterone level: r = -.74, = 2.67, df
= 7, p = .037 (see Figure 6B).
No significant correlation was found between N 1 latency from left brain and serum
testosterone level: r = -.30, f = .78, df = 7, p = .46 (see Figure 6C). There was
also no significant correlation between P1 latency from left brain and serum testos-
terone level: r = -.25, t = .62, df = 7 , p .56 (see Figure 6D).
Figure 7 illustrates the relationship between left minus right N1 latency and serum
testosterone level. The latency difference between N1 waves from left and right brains
was found to be positively linearly correlated with serum testosterone level: r = .84,
= 3.49, df = 6, p = .017. The left minus right N1 latency largely depended on
N1 latency from right brain, since there was a negative linear correlation between
N1 latency only from right brain and right minus left N1 latency. This correlation
 IQ, VEP, AND TESTOSTERONE 195

A. IQ us RIGHT MINUS LEFT

Nl-Pi AMPLITUDE

110

0
U 90
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70
-4 -2 2

R-L AMPL I TUDE

FIGURE 3 Relationship between IQ and right minus left amplitude of VEPs in left-handed male sub-
jects Abscissa: R-L amplitude (microVolt) Ordinate: IQ (> = 92.2 - 3 . 5 ~ ) .

was found to be only marginally significant, however: r = -.72, t = 2.29, d f = 6,

p = .071.

DISCUSSION

According to Eysenck ( 1986), an information-processing model of intelligence began

with Hick’s Law (l952), which stated that multiple-choice reaction times increase
as a linear function of the increase in the amount of information measured in bits.
Individual differences in the slope of reaction time as a function of bits, i.e., the
rate of information processing, were found to be correlated with IQ (Roth, 1964).
These considerations created the theory of intelligence of speed of information pro-
cessing by brain (Jensen, 1982; Lehrl, 1980; 1982; see also Eysenck, 1986). Ac-
cordingly, it was frequently reported that there was an inverse relationship between
reaction time and IQ, but with considerable controversies (see Eysenck, 1986).
The results of the present work confirmed the cerebral speed hypothesis of intel-
ligence in essence. The speed hypothesis posits that the speed of information pro-
 196 U. TAN ef a1

B. Nl-Pi AMPLITUDE FROM RIGHT BRAIN

US RIGHT MINUS LEFT Nl-P1 AMPLITUDE

12
10
8
6
4
2
-4 -2 0 2 4
R-L AMPL I TUDE
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C. Nl-P1 AMPLITUDE FROM LEFT BRAIN

US RIGHT MINUS LEFT Nl-P1 AMPLITUDE

..........; . . . . . . . . . .:. . . . . . . ..; . . . . . . . . . .;

: m ;
s
A
PI
: m i
r 3 ................................................ I
a
-4 -2 0 2 4
R-L AMPLITUDE
FIGURE 4 Relations of VEP amplitudes from right (A) and left (B) brain to R-L VEP amplitude
Abscissa: R-L amplitude (microVolt) Ordinate: Nl-PI amplitude from right (A) and left (B) brain
(microvolt). y = 6.2 + .9x in A; y = 6.2 - . I x in B.

cessing by brain is the main biological mechanism of behavioral intelligence. Lehrl

& Fisher (1 990) have hypothesized that speed of information processing is the com-
mon denominator of intelligence tests, and concluded that “the overall correlation
of speed of information processing with global intelligence is substantial. ”
In accord with the above mentioned hypothesis, we have found in the present work
that there is indeed an inverse relationship between IQ and latencies of the main
waves of visual evoked potentials in the male left-handers. This was true only for
the right brain, however; there was no significant correlation between IQ and laten-
cies of the VEPs from left brain. Thus, the validity of speed hypothesis depends on
asymmetric cerebral organization, which was neglected in previous works on this
subject. Thus, the reason of disagreements on the size of reaction time-IQ corre-
lations (see Jensen, 1982) may be the differences in asymmetric cerebral organiza-
tion. Namely, our results clearly showed that the speed theory was supported only
by the right brain, but not by the left brain in left-handed male subjects.
Similar to latency, the amplitude of the Nl-P1 wave of VEPs also decreased as
IQ increased. That is, there was an inverse relationship between IQ and VEP am-
plitudes. Large amplitudes were found to be associated with low IQs, and vice versa.
 IQ, VEP, AND TESTOSTERONE 197

IQ us RIGHT MINUS LEFT

Ill-P1 AREAS

110

90
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70
-40 -20 0 20 40 60

R-L AREA
FIGURE 5 Relationship between IQ (ordinate) and right minus left NI-PI area (abscissa) of VEPs in
left-handed male subjects (y = 91.6 - .3x).

This might be due to selective attention during recording of VEPs (Hillyard et al.,
1973; Picton & Hillyard, 1974). However, Schafer (1978) has argued that individual
differences in the modulation of amplitude (cognitive neural adaptability) are related
to individual differences in intelligence. Accordingly, a functionally efficient brain
with high IQ will use fewer neurons to process a foreknown stimulus. That is, in-
dividuals with high adaptability, i.e., with small VEPs, should show high intelli-
gence test performance. This is what we found in the present work.
It was also found in the present work, that the leftward asymmetry in the R-L
amplitude decreased and rightward asymmetry in the R-L amplitude increased lin-
early as IQ decreased. In other words, IQ linearly increased as the rightward asym-
metry decreased and leftward asymmetry increased in the right minus left VEP am-
plitude. This was found to be dependent on the VEP amplitude from the right brain.
That is, IQ increased as VEP amplitude from right brain decreased; a leftward asym-
metry in VEP amplitude was associated with relatively high 1Qs. Similarly, serum
testosterone levels was found to be inversely correlated with amplitudes of the so-
matosensory evoked potentials elicited by posterior tibia1 nerve stimulation in right-
handed young adults (Tan, 1990 c). Moreover, the amplitude of H-reflex from right
 198 U . TAN et a1

A . N l LATENCY (RIGHT BRAIN) C . N l LATENCY (LEFT BRAIN)

us TESTOSTERONE LEVEL us TESTOSTERONE LEVEL
:...: .........;.........:....:...: ....:...;...:
._ 80
m :I %
'1 E
..........................................

.................... i .................... ' *- ....................

m
...................... i:
m;:
a
cl
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..;.
. .................... .i:
m
............................................ 4 ..................... .;. . . . . . . . .m. . . . . . . . . .j
.

0 5 10 0 5 10
TESTOSTERONE ( n g m l ) TESTOSTERONE (ng/nl)
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B . P1 LATENCY (RIGHT BRAIN) D . P i LATENCY (LEFT BRAIN)

us TESTOSTERONE LEVEL us TESTOSTERONE LEUEL
.... :....:...: ....; ........
......... 1,,:

. .......
.
80 1:..................... i. .%. ........ 8 0 ;..................... ...................... j
0 5 10 0 5 10
TESTOSTERONE (ng/nll TESTOSTERONE (ngml)
FIGURE 6 Relationships between VEP latencies and serum testosterone levels Abscissa: total serum
testosterone level (ng/ml) Ordinate: latency (ms). A: N1 latency from right brain (y = 72.6 - 1 . 6 ~ ) .
B: P1 latency from right brain ( y = 95.3 - I .Ox). C : N1 latency from left brain 0, = 74.8 - 1 .lx).
D: P1 latency from left brain ( y = 93.7 - .4x).

thumb was found to be negatively linearly correlated with serum testosterone levels
in right-handed young adults (Tan, 1991 a).
Testosterone was found to be associated with findings of this work. There was a
significant negative linear correlation between P1 latency from right brain and serum
testosterone level; PI latency from left brain was not significantly correlated with
serum testosterone level. It was also shown above that IQ was inversely correlated
with P1 latency from right brain.
The above mentioned testosterone effect on the right brain suggests that the short
latency in high IQ may be caused by testosterone effect on the right brain. That is,
testosterone may be essential for a faster right brain. Moreover, left minus right N1
latency linearly increased as the serum testosterone level increased, which was found
to be created by N1 latency from right brain. These results also suggest that testos-
terone creates an asymmetric brain by acting on right brain in left-handers. These
findings are also in accord with previous findings (Tan, 1990 c; Tan, 1991 d; Tan,
in press).
 IQ, VEP, A N D TESTOSTERONE I99

L-R N1 LATENCY US TESTOSTERONE

8
A
v1
E 6
v

4
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z
0

-2
0 5 10
SERUM TESTOSTERONE Oiym 1 1
FIGURE 7 Regression of left minus right NI latency (ordinate) on serum testosterone level (abscissa)
in left-handed male subjects ( y = - 1.6 + .7x).

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