POST-TASK EVENT-RELATED-POTENTIAL (ERP) CORRELATES OF PSYCHOMETRIC INTELLIGENCE

The standard psychometric scores show a fair degree of correlation with event-r e late d evoked potential (ERP) latencies and amplitude. Since, both latency and amplitude are known to change during mental activity, it becomes important to consider both pre- and post-task ERP parameters is such correlative studies. In the present study, we have compared the psychometric scores obtained through WAIS-PR with evoked potential latencies and amplitude recorded at 2 sessions, one before, and the other immediately after a brief period of rigorous mental task. A negative corrrelation (-0.4) was found between the IQ of a subject and his P300 latency. Moreover, there was a positive correlation (+0.4) between the IQ of a subject and the latency changes of his P 300 following mental exercise (post-task P300 latency minus pre-task P300 latency). Hence, there appears to be a reserve in 'latency increase' proportional to the IQ, which is manifest only following a mental task.