ZURICH, Switzerland, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Swiss scientists have discovered a form of common brain protein responsible for causing memory loss, a report said Monday.
NewsScientist.com says the discovery may be the first step toward finding the genes for intelligence.
The gene discovery was made by Dominique de Quervain and colleagues at the University of Zurich.
The report says the discovery is important because human intelligence is partly inherited. Studies of parents and children have shown about half our cleverness, or lack of it, is due to genes rather than environment.
The Swiss scientists say people who inherit the less common form of a serotonin receptor have poorer short-term memory than people with the more common form. It is not -- by itself -- a gene for intelligence.
But the scientists feel eventually a set of such genes will be identified that together make the difference between a smart brain and a dull one.
Intelligence is made up of many things including concentration and reasoning, but memory is important as well.
