December 5, 2008

expert comment on research suggesting link between intelligence and semen quality, as published in the journal Intelligence

Researchers found evidence for a positive correlation between cognitive ability and three key indicators of sperm quality.

Dr Allan Pacey, Senior Lecturer in Andrology, University of Sheffield, said:

“The fact that it’s possible to detect a statistical relationship between intelligence and semen quality in adult men probably says more about the co-development of brain and testicles when the man was in his mother’s womb, and therefore how well they both function in adult life, rather than suggesting that playing Sudoku can somehow stimulate more sperm to be produced. The improvement in semen quality with intelligence observed in this paper is small and therefore it is unlikely to have a big impact on the ability of men of different intelligences to conceive.”