Brain activity during the intellectual process involves depletion of the nutrient choline in the sub-cortical white matter, which is also true of the process of worrying, Dr. Jeremy Coplan from SUNY Downstate Medical center and his colleagues found.

This suggests that excessive worrying, which is generally viewed as a negative trait may actually be a beneficial trait in survival of humans.

“Worry may cause our species to avoid dangerous situations regardless of how remote a possibility they may be,” said Coplan.

Researchers conducted an experiment where patients with generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD were compared with healthy control group to analyze the correlation between worrying and IQ.

They found that in healthy people high IQ was associated with lower degree of worrying, but for GAD group “smarter” people tend to worry more.

Coplan explained that worrying causes people to “take no chances” and may result in higher chance of survival of the species.



By Yoon Min-sik 
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)