Education: The longer time a person spends in school, the more likely they’ll see a boost in IQ. (Twelve years of mandatory education is more intense and rigorous mind training experience than a couple of hours on a video game.) Analyses have found evidence that each additional year in school adds 3.7 IQ points.
Nutrition and environment: Good nutrition might not boost IQ, but it’s believed that poor nutrition and toxins (lead, in particular) in a child’s environment does decrease it. Iodine deficiencies during development are believed to decrease IQ by around 10 points.
Time: The world is getting smarter every year. Really. Mean IQ scores appear to be increasing between 2 and 3 points per decade. It’s called the Flynn effect, and it is likely the result of increasing quality of childhood nutrition, health care, and education.
When I had a neuropsych test after my psychotic break, the doctor said I lost brain function but not intelligence. He said intelligence usually remains static. I wish I remembered the difference between the two. Needless to say, part of my issues these days is memory and retaining information.
