Relationship Between Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Multiple Intelligence Profiles
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/ajpr.v28i3.330Keywords:
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Multiple Intelligence Profile, University Students, Salivary BDNF, Gender DifferencesAbstract
Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between salivary Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels and multiple intelligence profiles of university students.
Methods: This research is a cross-sectional study conducted on university students studying in Turkey using the relational screening method. 100 volunteers, 50 female and 50 male, aged between 18-30, studying in the city of Bayburt participated in the study and the participants were selected through voluntary participation. Multiple Intelligence Scale was used to determine the participants' strengths and weaknesses in different intelligence areas. Saliva samples were also taken to evaluate their cognitive functions and BDNF levels were examined. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test and Pearson correlation tests were used in data evaluation and the significance level (p <.05) was accepted for all statistical results.
Results: The study results indicated no statistically significant relationship between salivary BDNF levels and the total score on the Multiple Intelligence Profile Scale (p>.05). However, it was determined that BDNF levels had weak, negative, and significant correlations with the sub-dimensions of spatial intelligence (r=−.198, p=.049), intrapersonal intelligence (r=−.200, p=.046), and environmental intelligence (r=−.219, p=.028). In gender comparisons, female participants' total scores on the Multiple Intelligence Profile Scale were found to be significantly higher than those of males (p=.002). When examining the sub-dimensions, it was determined that females' scores for musical (p=.019), spatial (p=.042), bodily-kinesthetic (p<.001), intrapersonal (p=.011), and environmental intelligence (p=.001) were significantly higher than those of males. Conversely, no significant difference was detected between genders in BDNF levels (p>.05). As expected, positive and highly significant correlations were found between the Multiple Intelligence Profile Scale total score and all its sub-dimensions (p=.000).
Conclusions: This study has revealed that university students' salivary BDNF levels do not exhibit a strong linear relationship with their general multiple intelligence profile. However, the identified weak and inverse connections between BDNF and specific intelligence domains such as spatial, intrapersonal, and environmental intelligence suggest that BDNF's role in different cognitive areas might be more specific and potentially complex, rather than providing general cognitive support. This implies that BDNF's interaction with cognitive functions may not always be as general and positively oriented as commonly assumed, but could differentiate according to the type of intelligence and the context. On the other hand, the significant differences observed in favor of females in certain multiple intelligence areas once again underscore the importance of considering individual competencies and potential gender-related tendencies in educational approaches.
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