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Malanchini M, Allegrini AG, Nivard MG, Biroli P, Rimfeld K, Cheesman R, von Stumm S, Demange PA, van Bergen E, Grotzinger AD, Raffington L, De la Fuente J, Pingault JB, Harden KP, Tucker-Drob EM, Plomin R. Genetic contributions of noncognitive skills to academic development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.03.535380. [PMID: 37066409 PMCID: PMC10103958 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.03.535380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Noncognitive skills such as motivation and self-regulation, are partly heritable and predict academic achievement beyond cognitive skills. However, how the relationship between noncognitive skills and academic achievement changes over development is unclear. The current study examined how cognitive and noncognitive skills contribute to academic achievement from ages 7 to 16 in a sample of over 10,000 children from England and Wales. Noncognitive skills were increasingly predictive of academic achievement across development. Twin and polygenic scores analyses found that the contribution of noncognitive genetics to academic achievement became stronger over the school years. Results from within-family analyses indicated that associations with noncognitive genetics could not simply be attributed to confounding by environmental differences between nuclear families and are consistent with a possible role for evocative/active gene-environment correlations. By studying genetic effects through a developmental lens, we provide novel insights into the role of noncognitive skills in academic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Malanchini
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea G. Allegrini
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Michel G. Nivard
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pietro Biroli
- Department of Economics, Universita’ di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Kaili Rimfeld
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- Royal Holloway University of London, United Kingdom
| | - Rosa Cheesman
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Perline A. Demange
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Research Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Mental Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Elsje van Bergen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Research Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Mental Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew D. Grotzinger
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, United States
| | - Laurel Raffington
- Max Planck Research Group Biosocial – Biology, Social Disparities, and Development; Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jean-Baptiste Pingault
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - K. Paige Harden
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, United States
| | | | - Robert Plomin
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, United Kingdom
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2
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Bierut L, Biroli P, Galama TJ, Thom K. Challenges in studying the interplay of genes and environment. A study of childhood financial distress moderating genetic predisposition for peak smoking. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 98:102636. [PMID: 37484514 PMCID: PMC10358858 DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2023.102636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable disease and death in the U.S., and it is strongly influenced both by genetic predisposition and childhood adversity. Using polygenic indices (PGIs) of predisposition to smoking, we evaluate whether childhood financial distress (CFD; a composite measure of financial adversity) moderates genetic risk in explaining peak-cigarette consumption in adulthood. Using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we find a substantial reduction in the relationship between genetic risk and peak smoking for those who did not suffer financial adversity in childhood. Among adult smokers who grew up in high-CFD households, a one standard deviation higher PGI is associated with 2.9 more cigarettes smoked per day at peak. By contrast, among smokers who grew up in low-CFD households, this gradient is reduced by 37 percent (or 1.1 fewer). These results are robust to controlling for a host of prime confounders. By contrast, we find no evidence of interactions between the PGI and typical measures of childhood SES such as parental education - a null result that we replicate in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) and the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA). This suggests the role of childhood financial distress in the relationship with peak smoking is distinct from that of low childhood SES, with high CFD potentially reflecting more acute distress than do measures of low childhood SES. Our evidence also suggests low childhood SES is a weaker proxy for acute distress, providing an alternative explanation for the childhood SES null result.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bierut
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Pietro Biroli
- Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Titus J Galama
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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3
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van der Laan CM, van de Weijer SG, Pool R, Hottenga JJ, van Beijsterveldt TC, Willemsen G, Bartels M, Nivard MG, Boomsma DI. Direct and Indirect Genetic Effects on Aggression. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:958-968. [PMID: 37881547 PMCID: PMC10593934 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Family members resemble each other in their propensity for aggression. In twin studies, approximately 50% of the variance in aggression can be explained by genetic influences. However, if there are genotype-environment correlation mechanisms, such as environmental manifestations of parental and sibling genotypes, genetic influences may partly reflect environmental influences. In this study, we investigated the importance of indirect polygenic score (PGS) effects on aggression. Methods We modeled the effect of PGSs based on 3 genome-wide association studies: early-life aggression, educational attainment, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The associations with aggression were tested in a within- and between-family design (37,796 measures from 7740 individuals, ages 3-86 years [mean = 14.20 years, SE = 12.03], from 3107 families, 55% female) and in a transmitted/nontransmitted PGS design (42,649 measures from 6653 individuals, ages 3-61 years [mean = 11.81 years, SE = 8.68], from 3024 families, 55% female). All participants are enrolled in the Netherlands Twin Register. Results We found no evidence for contributions of indirect PGS effects on aggression in either a within- and between-family design or a transmitted/nontransmitted PGS design. Results indicate significant direct effects on aggression for the PGSs based on early-life aggression, educational attainment, and ADHD, although explained variance was low (within- and between-family: early-life aggression R2 = 0.3%, early-life ADHD R2 = 0.6%, educational attainment R2 = 0.7%; transmitted/nontransmitted PGSs: early-life aggression R2 = 0.2%, early-life ADHD R2 = 0.9%, educational attainment R2 = 0.5%). Conclusions PGSs included in the current study had a direct (but no indirect) effect on aggression, consistent with results of previous twin and family studies. Further research involving other PGSs for aggression and related phenotypes is needed to determine whether this conclusion generalizes to overall genetic influences on aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camiel M. van der Laan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - René Pool
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jouke-Jan Hottenga
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Gonneke Willemsen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Meike Bartels
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michel G. Nivard
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dorret I. Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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4
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de Roo M, Hartman C, Veenstra R, Nolte IM, Meier K, Vrijen C, Kretschmer T. Gene-Environment Interplay in the Development of Overweight. J Adolesc Health 2023; 73:574-581. [PMID: 37318409 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Overweight in youth is influenced by genes and environment. Gene-environment interaction (G×E) has been demonstrated in twin studies and recent developments in genetics allow for studying G×E using individual genetic predispositions for overweight. We examine genetic influence on trajectories of overweight during adolescence and early adulthood and determine whether genetic predisposition is attenuated by higher socioeconomic status and having physically active parents. METHODS Latent class growth models of overweight were fitted using data from the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (n = 2720). A polygenic score for body mass index (BMI) was derived using summary statistics from a genome-wide association study of adult BMI (N = ∼700,000) and tested as predictor of developmental pathways of overweight. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine effects of interactions of genetic predisposition with socioeconomic status and parental physical activity (n = 1675). RESULTS A three-class model of developmental pathways of overweight fitted the data best ("non-overweight", "adolescent-onset overweight", and "persistent overweight"). The polygenic score for BMI and socioeconomic status distinguished the persistent overweight and adolescent-onset overweight trajectories from the non-overweight trajectory. Only genetic predisposition differentiated the adolescent-onset from the persistent overweight trajectory. There was no evidence for G×E. DISCUSSION Higher genetic predisposition increased the risk of developing overweight during adolescence and young adulthood and was associated with an earlier age at onset. We did not find that genetic predisposition was offset by higher socioeconomic status or having physically active parents. Instead, lower socioeconomic status and higher genetic predisposition acted as additive risk factors for developing overweight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marthe de Roo
- Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Pedagogy and Educational Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Catharina Hartman
- Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - René Veenstra
- Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ilja Maria Nolte
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Karien Meier
- Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, The Hague, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Vrijen
- Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Pedagogy and Educational Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Tina Kretschmer
- Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Pedagogy and Educational Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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5
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Heritability and Etiology: Heritability estimates can provide causally relevant information. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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6
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Perlstein S, Hawes S, Vazquez AY, Pacheco-Colón I, Lehman S, Parent J, Byrd A, Waller R. Genetic versus environmental influences on callous-unemotional traits in preadolescence: The role of parenting and parental psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 2022; 34:1-16. [PMID: 36229943 PMCID: PMC10102260 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422000888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Children with callous-unemotional (CU) traits are at risk for severe conduct problems. While CU traits are moderately heritable, parenting also predicts risk. However, few studies have investigated whether parenting factors (e.g., acceptance, conflict, parental psychopathology) moderate the etiology of CU traits, while accounting for gene-environment correlations. To address this knowledge gap, we used data from 772 twin pairs from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study to test bivariate models that explored overlapping etiological influences on CU traits and child reports of their parenting environment. We also used gene-by-environment interaction models to test whether parenting moderated genetic versus environmental influences. There were no overlapping etiological influences on CU traits and parental acceptance, but modest genetic and non-shared environmental overlap between CU traits and family conflict. Parental acceptance and psychopathology moderated non-shared environmental influences, with stronger non-shared environmental influences on CU traits among children who experienced lower parental acceptance and greater parental psychopathology. Family conflict only moderated environmental influences when models did not covary for conduct problems. Parental acceptance and parental psychopathology may be specific environmental protective and risk factors for CU traits, whereas family conflict may represent a general environmental risk factor for both CU traits and conduct problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samuel Hawes
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University
| | | | | | - Sarah Lehman
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University
| | | | - Amy Byrd
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
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7
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Allegrini AG, Baldwin JR, Barkhuizen W, Pingault JB. Research Review: A guide to computing and implementing polygenic scores in developmental research. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:1111-1124. [PMID: 35354222 PMCID: PMC10108570 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The increasing availability of genotype data in longitudinal population- and family-based samples provides opportunities for using polygenic scores (PGS) to study developmental questions in child and adolescent psychology and psychiatry. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of how PGS can be generated and implemented in developmental psycho(patho)logy, with a focus on longitudinal designs. As such, the paper is organized into three parts: First, we provide a formal definition of polygenic scores and related concepts, focusing on assumptions and limitations. Second, we give a general overview of the methods used to compute polygenic scores, ranging from the classic approach to more advanced methods. We include recommendations and reference resources available to researchers aiming to conduct PGS analyses. Finally, we focus on the practical applications of PGS in the analysis of longitudinal data. We describe how PGS have been used to research developmental outcomes, and how they can be applied to longitudinal data to address developmental questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea G Allegrini
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.,Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jessie R Baldwin
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.,Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Wikus Barkhuizen
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jean-Baptiste Pingault
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.,Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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8
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Cheng A, Harikrishna JA, Redwood CS, Lit LC, Nath SK, Chua KH. Genetics Matters: Voyaging from the Past into the Future of Humanity and Sustainability. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073976. [PMID: 35409335 PMCID: PMC8999725 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The understanding of how genetic information may be inherited through generations was established by Gregor Mendel in the 1860s when he developed the fundamental principles of inheritance. The science of genetics, however, began to flourish only during the mid-1940s when DNA was identified as the carrier of genetic information. The world has since then witnessed rapid development of genetic technologies, with the latest being genome-editing tools, which have revolutionized fields from medicine to agriculture. This review walks through the historical timeline of genetics research and deliberates how this discipline might furnish a sustainable future for humanity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Acga Cheng
- Institute of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; (A.C.); (J.A.H.)
| | - Jennifer Ann Harikrishna
- Institute of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; (A.C.); (J.A.H.)
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Charles S. Redwood
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK;
| | - Lei Cheng Lit
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia;
| | - Swapan K. Nath
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Correspondence: (S.K.N.); (K.H.C.)
| | - Kek Heng Chua
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (S.K.N.); (K.H.C.)
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9
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Family Context, Parenting and Child Development: An Epigenetic Approach. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci11030113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper presents an essay that uses an epigenetic approach to attain an inclusive and in-depth understanding of the influence of family context and quality of parenting on children’s psychological development. Based on the identification of a key developmental process in which interactions are continuously internalised, the approach draws attention to the bidirectional and systemic nature of intrafamily and parenting interactions and highlights the multiple factors that influence them, which are linked to the developmental history of the species, the individual characteristics of both the child and their parents, and contextual variables. In response to these internalised interactions, the body activates epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, which may affect the phenotypic expression of the genome. Theoretical and methodological implications are discussed in light of the current process of identifying the biological profiles underlying negative and positive parenting practices. Some insights are offered regarding the challenges and opportunities that parents and policymakers should address in the 21st century in connection with the promotion of positive parenting, taking into account the epigenetic processes triggered by adverse environments for children and their families.
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10
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The P-factor and its genomic and neural equivalents: an integrated perspective. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:38-48. [PMID: 33526822 PMCID: PMC8960404 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01031-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Different psychiatric disorders and symptoms are highly correlated in the general population. A general psychopathology factor (or "P-factor") has been proposed to efficiently describe this covariance of psychopathology. Recently, genetic and neuroimaging studies also derived general dimensions that reflect densely correlated genomic and neural effects on behaviour and psychopathology. While these three types of general dimensions show striking parallels, it is unknown how they are conceptually related. Here, we provide an overview of these three general dimensions, and suggest a unified interpretation of their nature and underlying mechanisms. We propose that the general dimensions reflect, in part, a combination of heritable 'environmental' factors, driven by a dense web of gene-environment correlations. This perspective calls for an update of the traditional endophenotype framework, and encourages methodological innovations to improve models of gene-brain-environment relationships in all their complexity. We propose concrete approaches, which by taking advantage of the richness of current large databases will help to better disentangle the complex nature of causal factors underlying psychopathology.
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11
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Ask H, Cheesman R, Jami ES, Levey DF, Purves KL, Weber H. Genetic contributions to anxiety disorders: where we are and where we are heading. Psychol Med 2021; 51:2231-2246. [PMID: 33557968 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720005486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders worldwide. They often onset early in life, with symptoms and consequences that can persist for decades. This makes anxiety disorders some of the most debilitating and costly disorders of our time. Although much is known about the synaptic and circuit mechanisms of fear and anxiety, research on the underlying genetics has lagged behind that of other psychiatric disorders. However, alongside the formation of the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium Anxiety workgroup, progress is rapidly advancing, offering opportunities for future research.Here we review current knowledge about the genetics of anxiety across the lifespan from genetically informative designs (i.e. twin studies and molecular genetics). We include studies of specific anxiety disorders (e.g. panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder) as well as those using dimensional measures of trait anxiety. We particularly address findings from large-scale genome-wide association studies and show how such discoveries may provide opportunities for translation into improved or new therapeutics for affected individuals. Finally, we describe how discoveries in anxiety genetics open the door to numerous new research possibilities, such as the investigation of specific gene-environment interactions and the disentangling of causal associations with related traits and disorders.We discuss how the field of anxiety genetics is expected to move forward. In addition to the obvious need for larger sample sizes in genome-wide studies, we highlight the need for studies among young people, focusing on specific underlying dimensional traits or components of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helga Ask
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rosa Cheesman
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Eshim S Jami
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel F Levey
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare Center, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kirstin L Purves
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Heike Weber
- Department of Psychology, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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12
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Friedman NP, Banich MT, Keller MC. Twin studies to GWAS: there and back again. Trends Cogn Sci 2021; 25:855-869. [PMID: 34312064 PMCID: PMC8446317 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The field of human behavioral genetics has come full circle. It began by using twin/family studies to estimate the relative importance of genetic and environmental influences. As large-scale genotyping became cost-effective, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) yielded insights about the nature of genetic influences and new methods that use GWAS data to estimate heritability and genetic correlations invigorated the field. Yet these newer GWAS methods have not replaced twin/family studies. In this review, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches with respect to characterizing genetic and environmental influences, measurement of behavioral phenotypes, and evaluation of causal models, with a particular focus on cognitive neuroscience. This discussion highlights how twin/family studies and GWAS complement and mutually reinforce one another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi P Friedman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Marie T Banich
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Matthew C Keller
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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13
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D'Aguillo M, Hazelwood C, Quarles B, Donohue K. Genetic Consequences of Biologically Altered Environments. J Hered 2021; 113:26-36. [PMID: 34534330 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esab047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolvable traits of organisms can alter the environment those organisms experience. While it is well appreciated that those modified environments can influence natural selection to which organisms are exposed, they can also influence the expression of genetic variances and covariances of traits under selection. When genetic variance and covariance change in response to changes in the evolving, modified environment, rates and outcomes of evolution also change. Here we discuss the basic mechanisms whereby organisms modify their environments, review how those modified environments have been shown to alter genetic variance and covariance, and discuss potential evolutionary consequences of such dynamics. With these dynamics, responses to selection can be more rapid and sustained, leading to more extreme phenotypes, or they can be slower and truncated, leading to more conserved phenotypes. Patterns of correlated selection can also change, leading to greater or less evolutionary independence of traits, or even causing convergence or divergence of traits, even when selection on them is consistent across environments. Developing evolutionary models that incorporate changes in genetic variances and covariances when environments themselves evolve requires developing methods to predict how genetic parameters respond to environments-frequently multifactorial environments. It also requires a population-level analysis of how traits of collections of individuals modify environments for themselves and/or others in a population, possibly in spatially explicit ways. Despite the challenges of elucidating the mechanisms and nuances of these processes, even qualitative predictions of how environment-modifying traits alter evolutionary potential are likely to improve projections of evolutionary outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle D'Aguillo
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
| | - Caleb Hazelwood
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Philosophy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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14
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Parental Occupational Exposure is Associated With Their Children's Psychopathology: A Study of Families of Israeli First Responders. J Occup Environ Med 2021; 62:904-915. [PMID: 32769795 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between parental occupational exposure to traumatic events and their children's mental health in families of First Responders (FRs), a neglected area of research. METHODS In 208 families of Israeli FRs, children's symptoms and comorbidity patterns of seven psychiatric disorders were regressed on parental work-related variables, controlling for relevant covariates. RESULTS Having a father working as a FR and higher paternal exposure were associated with a greater number of separation anxiety and posttraumatic stress symptoms, respectively. Maternal exposure was associated with a greater number of symptoms of generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression, and oppositional defiant disorder, and with increased odds of comorbid internalizing symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS Additional research on children of FRs is encouraged. An adaption to this understudied population of family-centered interventions available for military families could inform targeted prevention efforts.
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Hunter MD, Garrison SM, Burt SA, Rodgers JL. The Analytic Identification of Variance Component Models Common to Behavior Genetics. Behav Genet 2021; 51:425-437. [PMID: 34089112 PMCID: PMC8394168 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-021-10055-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Many behavior genetics models follow the same general structure. We describe this general structure and analytically derive simple criteria for its identification. In particular, we find that variance components can be uniquely estimated whenever the relatedness matrices that define the components are linearly independent (i.e., not confounded). Thus, we emphasize determining which variance components can be identified given a set of genetic and environmental relationships, rather than the estimation procedures. We validate the identification criteria with several well-known models, and further apply them to several less common models. The first model distinguishes child-rearing environment from extended family environment. The second model adds a gene-by-common-environment interaction term in sets of twins reared apart and together. The third model separates measured-genomic relatedness from the scanner site variation in a hypothetical functional magnetic resonance imaging study. The computationally easy analytic identification criteria allow researchers to quickly address model identification issues and define novel variance components, facilitating the development of new research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Hunter
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30313, USA.
| | - S Mason Garrison
- Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27109, USA
| | - S Alexandra Burt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Joseph L Rodgers
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
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16
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Saunders GRB, Liu M, Vrieze S, McGue M, Iacono WG. Mechanisms of parent-child transmission of tobacco and alcohol use with polygenic risk scores: Evidence for a genetic nurture effect. Dev Psychol 2021; 57:796-804. [PMID: 34166022 PMCID: PMC8238311 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Parent-child similarity is a function of genetic and environmental transmission. In addition, genetic effects not transmitted to offspring may drive parental behavior, thereby affecting the rearing environment of the child. Measuring genetic proclivity directly, through polygenic risk scores (PRSs), provides a way to test for the effect of nontransmitted parental genotype, on offspring outcome, termed a genetic nurture effect-in other words, if and how parental genomes might affect their children through the environment. The current study used polygenic risk scores for smoking initiation, cigarettes per day, and drinks per week to predict substance use in a sample of 3,008 twins, assessed prospectively from age 17-29, and their parents, from the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research. Mixed-effects models were used to test for a genetic nurture effect whereby parental PRSs predict offspring tobacco and alcohol use after statistically adjusting for offspring's own PRS. Parental smoking initiation PRS predicted offspring cigarettes per day at age 24 (β = .103, 95% CI [.03, .17]) and alcohol use at age 17 (β = .091, 95% CI [.04, .14]) independent of shared genetics. There was also a suggestive independent association between the parent PRS and offspring smoking at age 17 (β = .096; 95% CI [.02, .17]). Mediation analyses provided some evidence for environmental effects of parental smoking, alcohol use, and family socioeconomic status. These findings, and more broadly the molecular genetic method used, have implications on the identification of environmental effects on developmental outcomes such as substance use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mengzhen Liu
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Scott Vrieze
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Matt McGue
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota
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17
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Perlstein S, Waller R. Integrating the study of personality and psychopathology in the context of gene-environment correlations across development. J Pers 2020; 90:47-60. [PMID: 33251591 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A key principle of individual differences research is that biological and environmental factors jointly influence personality and psychopathology. Genes and environments interact to influence the emergence and stability of both normal and abnormal behavior (i.e., genetic predisposition, X, is exacerbated or buffered under environmental conditions, Y, or vice versa), including by shaping the neural circuits underpinning behavior. The interplay of genes and environments is also reflected in various ways in which they are correlated (i.e., rGE). That is, the same genetic factors that give rise to personality or psychopathology also shape that person's environment. METHODS In this review, we outline passive, evocative, and active rGE processes and review the findings of studies that have addressed rGE in relation to understanding individual differences in personality and psychopathology across development. RESULTS Throughout, we evaluate the question of whether it is possible, not only to differentiate the person from their problems, but also to differentiate the person from their problems and their environment. CONCLUSIONS We provide recommendations for future research to model rGE and better inform our ability to study personality and psychopathology, while separating the influence of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Perlstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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18
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Allegrini AG, Karhunen V, Coleman JRI, Selzam S, Rimfeld K, von Stumm S, Pingault JB, Plomin R. Multivariable G-E interplay in the prediction of educational achievement. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1009153. [PMID: 33201880 PMCID: PMC7721131 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Polygenic scores are increasingly powerful predictors of educational achievement. It is unclear, however, how sets of polygenic scores, which partly capture environmental effects, perform jointly with sets of environmental measures, which are themselves heritable, in prediction models of educational achievement. Here, for the first time, we systematically investigate gene-environment correlation (rGE) and interaction (GxE) in the joint analysis of multiple genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) and multiple environmental measures as they predict tested educational achievement (EA). We predict EA in a representative sample of 7,026 16-year-olds, with 20 GPS for psychiatric, cognitive and anthropometric traits, and 13 environments (including life events, home environment, and SES) measured earlier in life. Environmental and GPS predictors were modelled, separately and jointly, in penalized regression models with out-of-sample comparisons of prediction accuracy, considering the implications that their interplay had on model performance. Jointly modelling multiple GPS and environmental factors significantly improved prediction of EA, with cognitive-related GPS adding unique independent information beyond SES, home environment and life events. We found evidence for rGE underlying variation in EA (rGE = .38; 95% CIs = .30, .45). We estimated that 40% (95% CIs = 31%, 50%) of the polygenic scores effects on EA were mediated by environmental effects, and in turn that 18% (95% CIs = 12%, 25%) of environmental effects were accounted for by the polygenic model, indicating genetic confounding. Lastly, we did not find evidence that GxE effects significantly contributed to multivariable prediction. Our multivariable polygenic and environmental prediction model suggests widespread rGE and unsystematic GxE contributions to EA in adolescence. Our study investigates the complex interplay between genetic and environmental contributions underlying educational achievement (EA). Polygenic scores are becoming increasingly powerful predictors of EA. While emerging evidence indicates that polygenic scores are not pure measures of genetic predisposition, previous quantitative genetics findings indicate that measures of the environment are themselves heritable. In this regard it is unclear how such measures of individual predisposition jointly combine to predict EA. We investigate this question in a representative UK sample of 7,026 16-year-olds where we provide substantive results on gene-environment correlation and interaction underlying variation in EA. We show that polygenic score and environmental prediction models of EA overlap substantially. Polygenic scores effects on EA are partly accounted for by their correlation with environmental effects; similarly, environmental effects on EA are linked to polygenic scores effects. Nonetheless, jointly considering polygenic scores and measured environments significantly improves prediction of EA. We also find that, although correlation between polygenic scores and measured environments is substantial, interactions between them do not play a significant role in the prediction of EA. Our findings have relevance for genomic and environmental prediction models alike, as they show the way in which individuals’ genetic predispositions and environmental effects are intertwined. This suggests that both genetic and environmental effects must be taken into account in prediction models of complex behavioral traits such as EA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea G. Allegrini
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Ville Karhunen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan R. I. Coleman
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Saskia Selzam
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - Kaili Rimfeld
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jean-Baptiste Pingault
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Plomin
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
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19
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Cheesman R, Eilertsen EM, Ahmadzadeh YI, Gjerde LC, Hannigan LJ, Havdahl A, Young AI, Eley TC, Njølstad PR, Magnus P, Andreassen OA, Ystrom E, McAdams TA. How important are parents in the development of child anxiety and depression? A genomic analysis of parent-offspring trios in the Norwegian Mother Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). BMC Med 2020; 18:284. [PMID: 33106172 PMCID: PMC7590735 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-020-01760-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many studies detect associations between parent behaviour and child symptoms of anxiety and depression. Despite knowledge that anxiety and depression are influenced by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental risk factors, most studies do not account for shared familial genetic risk. Quantitative genetic designs provide a means of controlling for shared genetics, but rely on observed putative exposure variables, and require data from highly specific family structures. METHODS The intergenerational genomic method, Relatedness Disequilibrium Regression (RDR), indexes environmental effects of parents on child traits using measured genotypes. RDR estimates how much the parent genome influences the child indirectly via the environment, over and above effects of genetic factors acting directly in the child. This 'genetic nurture' effect is agnostic to parent phenotype and captures unmeasured heritable parent behaviours. We applied RDR in a sample of 11,598 parent-offspring trios from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) to estimate parental genetic nurture separately from direct child genetic effects on anxiety and depression symptoms at age 8. We tested for mediation of genetic nurture via maternal anxiety and depression symptoms. Results were compared to a complementary non-genomic pedigree model. RESULTS Parental genetic nurture explained 14% of the variance in depression symptoms at age 8. Subsequent analyses suggested that maternal anxiety and depression partially mediated this effect. The genetic nurture effect was mirrored by the finding of family environmental influence in our pedigree model. In contrast, variance in anxiety symptoms was not significantly influenced by common genetic variation in children or parents, despite a moderate pedigree heritability. CONCLUSIONS Genomic methods like RDR represent new opportunities for genetically sensitive family research on complex human traits, which until now has been largely confined to adoption, twin and other pedigree designs. Our results are relevant to debates about the role of parents in the development of anxiety and depression in children, and possibly where to intervene to reduce problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Cheesman
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Espen Moen Eilertsen
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yasmin I Ahmadzadeh
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Line C Gjerde
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Laurie J Hannigan
- Nic Waals Institute at Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Alexandra Havdahl
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Nic Waals Institute at Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Alexander I Young
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thalia C Eley
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Pål R Njølstad
- Center of Diabetes Research, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Per Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- NORMENT Centre, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eivind Ystrom
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tom A McAdams
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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20
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Genotype-Environment Correlation and Its Relation to Personality - A Twin and Family Study. Twin Res Hum Genet 2020; 23:228-234. [PMID: 32772950 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2020.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine the Family and School Psychosocial Environment (FSPE) questionnaire in relation to a possible genotype-environment correlation and genetic mediation between the FSPE variables and personality variables, assessed by the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. A sample of 506 Swedish children aged 10-20 years from 253 families were recruited via the Swedish state population and address register and SchoolList.Eu. The children were divided into 253 pairs: 46 monozygotic twin pairs, 42 dizygotic twin pairs, 140 pairs of full siblings and 25 pairs of half-siblings. The behavioral genetic analysis showed that both FSPE factors, Warmth and Conflicts, may be partly influenced by genetic factors (suggesting genotype-environment correlation) and that nonadditive genetic factors may mediate the relationship between FSPE factors and psychoticism/antisocial personality (P). An indication of a special shared monozygotic twin environment was found for P and Lie/social desirability, but based on prior research findings this factor may have a minor influence on P and L. P and L were negatively correlated, and the relationship seems to be partly mediated by nonadditive genetic factors. Nonshared environment and measurement errors seem to be the most influential mediating factors, but none of the cross-twin cross-dimension correlations suggest a common shared environmental mediating factor.
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21
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Cheesman R, Hunjan A, Coleman JRI, Ahmadzadeh Y, Plomin R, McAdams TA, Eley TC, Breen G. Comparison of Adopted and Nonadopted Individuals Reveals Gene-Environment Interplay for Education in the UK Biobank. Psychol Sci 2020. [PMID: 32302253 DOI: 10.1101/707695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Polygenic scores now explain approximately 10% of the variation in educational attainment. However, they capture not only genetic propensity but also information about the family environment. This is because of passive gene-environment correlation, whereby the correlation between offspring and parent genotypes results in an association between offspring genotypes and the rearing environment. We measured passive gene-environment correlation using information on 6,311 adoptees in the UK Biobank. Adoptees' genotypes were less correlated with their rearing environments because they did not share genes with their adoptive parents. We found that polygenic scores were twice as predictive of years of education in nonadopted individuals compared with adoptees (R2s = .074 vs. .037, p = 8.23 × 10-24). Individuals in the lowest decile of polygenic scores for education attained significantly more education if they were adopted, possibly because of educationally supportive adoptive environments. Overall, these results suggest that genetic influences on education are mediated via the home environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Cheesman
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Avina Hunjan
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan R I Coleman
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yasmin Ahmadzadeh
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Robert Plomin
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Tom A McAdams
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Thalia C Eley
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gerome Breen
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
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22
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Cheesman R, Hunjan A, Coleman JRI, Ahmadzadeh Y, Plomin R, McAdams TA, Eley TC, Breen G. Comparison of Adopted and Nonadopted Individuals Reveals Gene-Environment Interplay for Education in the UK Biobank. Psychol Sci 2020; 31:582-591. [PMID: 32302253 PMCID: PMC7238511 DOI: 10.1177/0956797620904450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Polygenic scores now explain approximately 10% of the variation in educational
attainment. However, they capture not only genetic propensity but also
information about the family environment. This is because of passive
gene–environment correlation, whereby the correlation between offspring and
parent genotypes results in an association between offspring genotypes and the
rearing environment. We measured passive gene–environment correlation using
information on 6,311 adoptees in the UK Biobank. Adoptees’ genotypes were less
correlated with their rearing environments because they did not share genes with
their adoptive parents. We found that polygenic scores were twice as predictive
of years of education in nonadopted individuals compared with adoptees
(R2s = .074 vs. .037, p = 8.23
× 10−24). Individuals in the lowest decile of polygenic scores for
education attained significantly more education if they were adopted, possibly
because of educationally supportive adoptive environments. Overall, these
results suggest that genetic influences on education are mediated via the home
environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Cheesman
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Avina Hunjan
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London.,National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan R I Coleman
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London.,National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yasmin Ahmadzadeh
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Robert Plomin
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Tom A McAdams
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Thalia C Eley
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London.,National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gerome Breen
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London.,National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
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23
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Robinette JW, Beam CR. A Genetically Informed Study of Neighborhoods and Health: Results From the MIDUS Twin Sample. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2020; 75:1072-1081. [PMID: 30597101 PMCID: PMC7161367 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gby157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine whether neighborhood income and neighborhood safety concerns influence multisystem physiological risk after adjusting for genetic and environmental selection effects that may have biased previous tests of this association. METHODS We used structural equation modeling with a genetically informed sample of 686 male and female twin pairs in the Midlife in the United States Study II (2004). RESULTS Controlling for additive genetic and shared environmental processes that may have biased neighborhood-health links in previous examinations, higher neighborhood safety concerns were associated with less physiological risk among women but not men. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest a possible causal role of neighborhood features for a measure of physiological risk that is associated with the development of disease. Efforts to increase neighborhood safety, perhaps through increased street lighting or neighborhood watch programs, may improve community-level health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher R Beam
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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24
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Malanchini M, Rimfeld K, Allegrini AG, Ritchie SJ, Plomin R. Cognitive ability and education: How behavioural genetic research has advanced our knowledge and understanding of their association. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 111:229-245. [PMID: 31968216 PMCID: PMC8048133 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive ability and educational success predict positive outcomes across the lifespan, from higher earnings to better health and longevity. The shared positive outcomes associated with cognitive ability and education are emblematic of the strong interconnections between them. Part of the observed associations between cognitive ability and education, as well as their links with wealth, morbidity and mortality, are rooted in genetic variation. The current review evaluates the contribution of decades of behavioural genetic research to our knowledge and understanding of the biological and environmental basis of the association between cognitive ability and education. The evidence reviewed points to a strong genetic basis in their association, observed from middle childhood to old age, which is amplified by environmental experiences. In addition, the strong stability and heritability of educational success are not driven entirely by cognitive ability. This highlights the contribution of other educationally relevant noncognitive characteristics. Considering both cognitive and noncognitive skills as well as their biological and environmental underpinnings will be fundamental in moving towards a comprehensive, evidence-based model of education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Malanchini
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom; Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom; Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, United States.
| | - Kaili Rimfeld
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea G Allegrini
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart J Ritchie
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Plomin
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
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25
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Discovering the shared biology of cognitive traits determined by genetic overlap. Neuroimage 2019; 208:116409. [PMID: 31785419 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigating the contribution of biology to human cognition has assumed a bottom-up causal cascade where genes influence brain systems that activate, communicate, and ultimately drive behavior. Yet few studies have directly tested whether cognitive traits with overlapping genetic underpinnings also rely on overlapping brain systems. Here, we report a step-wise exploratory analysis of genetic and functional imaging overlaps among cognitive traits. We used twin-based genetic analyses in the human connectome project (HCP) dataset (N = 486), in which we quantified the heritability of measures of cognitive functions, and tested whether they were driven by common genetic factors using pairwise genetic correlations. Subsequently, we derived activation maps associated with cognitive tasks via functional imaging meta-analysis in BrainMap (N = 4484), and tested whether cognitive traits that shared genetic variation also exhibited overlapping brain activation. Our genetic analysis determined that six cognitive measures (cognitive flexibility, no-go continuous performance, fluid intelligence, processing speed, reading decoding and vocabulary comprehension) were heritable (0.3 < h2 < 0.5), and genetically correlated with at least one other heritable cognitive measure (0.2 < ρg < 0.35). The meta-analysis showed that two genetically-correlated traits, cognitive flexibility and fluid intelligence (ρg = 0.24), also had a significant brain activation overlap (ρperm = 0.29). These findings indicate that fluid intelligence and cognitive flexibility rely on overlapping biological features, both at the neural systems level and at the molecular level. The cross-disciplinary approach we introduce provides a concrete framework for data-driven quantification of biological convergence between genetics, brain function, and behavior in health and disease.
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26
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Mets DG, Brainard MS. Learning is enhanced by tailoring instruction to individual genetic differences. eLife 2019; 8:e47216. [PMID: 31526480 PMCID: PMC6748825 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely argued that personalized instruction based on individual differences in learning styles or genetic predispositions could improve learning outcomes. However, this proposition has resisted clear demonstration in human studies, where it is difficult to control experience and quantify outcomes. Here, we take advantage of the tractable nature of vocal learning in songbirds (Lonchura striata domestica) to test the idea that matching instruction to individual genetic predispositions can enhance learning. We use both cross-fostering and computerized instruction with synthetic songs to demonstrate that matching the tutor song to individual predispositions can improve learning across genetic backgrounds. Moreover, we find that optimizing instruction in this fashion can equalize learning differences across individuals that might otherwise be construed as genetically determined. Our results demonstrate potent, synergistic interactions between experience and genetics in shaping song, and indicate the likely importance of such interactions for other complex learned behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Mets
- Center for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Michael S Brainard
- Center for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of PhysiologyUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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27
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Saltz JB. Gene–Environment Correlation in Humans: Lessons from Psychology for Quantitative Genetics. J Hered 2019; 110:455-466. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Evolutionary biologists have long been aware that the effects of genes can reach beyond the boundary of the individual, that is, the phenotypic effects of genes can alter the environment. Yet, we rarely apply a quantitative genetics approach to understand the causes and consequences of genetic variation in the ways that individuals choose and manipulate their environments, particularly in wild populations. Here, I aim to stimulate research in this area by reviewing empirical examples of such processes from the psychology literature. Indeed, psychology researchers have been actively investigating genetic variation in the environments that individuals experience—a phenomenon termed “gene–environment correlation” (rGE)—since the 1970s. rGE emerges from genetic variation in individuals’ behavior and personality traits, which in turn affects the environments that they experience. I highlight concepts and examples from this literature, emphasizing the relevance to quantitative geneticists working on wild, nonhuman organisms. I point out fruitful areas of crossover between these disciplines, including how quantitative geneticists can test ideas about rGE in wild populations.
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Kong A, Thorleifsson G, Frigge ML, Vilhjalmsson BJ, Young AI, Thorgeirsson TE, Benonisdottir S, Oddsson A, Halldorsson BV, Masson G, Gudbjartsson DF, Helgason A, Bjornsdottir G, Thorsteinsdottir U, Stefansson K. The nature of nurture: Effects of parental genotypes. Science 2018; 359:424-428. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aan6877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 501] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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29
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Malanchini M, Wang Z, Voronin I, Schenker VJ, Plomin R, Petrill SA, Kovas Y. Reading self-perceived ability, enjoyment and achievement: A genetically informative study of their reciprocal links over time. Dev Psychol 2017; 53:698-712. [PMID: 28333527 PMCID: PMC5363396 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Extant literature has established a consistent association between aspects of reading motivation, such as enjoyment and self-perceived ability, and reading achievement, in that more motivated readers are generally more skilled readers. However, the developmental etiology of this relation is yet to be investigated. The present study explores the development of the motivation-achievement association and its genetic and environmental underpinnings. Applying cross-lagged design in a sample of 13,825 twins, we examined the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to the association between reading enjoyment and self-perceived ability and reading achievement. Children completed a reading comprehension task and self-reported their reading enjoyment and perceived ability twice in middle childhood: when they were 9-10 and 12 years old. Results showed a modest reciprocal association over time between reading motivation (enjoyment and perceived ability) and reading achievement. Reading motivation at age 9-10 statistically predicted the development of later achievement, and similarly, reading achievement at age 9-10 predicted the development of later motivation. This reciprocal association was observed beyond the stability of the variables and their contemporaneous correlation and was largely explained by genetic factors. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhe Wang
- Center for Gerontology, Virginia Tech
| | - Ivan Voronin
- Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education
| | | | - Robert Plomin
- MRC Social, Genetic, & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London
| | | | - Yulia Kovas
- Psychology Department, Goldsmiths University of London
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30
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Ayorech Z, von Stumm S, Haworth CMA, Davis OSP, Plomin R. Personalized Media: A Genetically Informative Investigation of Individual Differences in Online Media Use. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0168895. [PMID: 28114386 PMCID: PMC5256859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Online media use has become an increasingly important behavioral domain over the past decade. However, studies into the etiology of individual differences in media use have focused primarily on pathological use. Here, for the first time, we test the genetic influences on online media use in a UK representative sample of 16 year old twins, who were assessed on time spent on educational (N = 2,585 twin pairs) and entertainment websites (N = 2,614 twin pairs), time spent gaming online (N = 2,635 twin pairs), and Facebook use (N = 4,333 twin pairs). Heritability was substantial for all forms of online media use, ranging from 34% for educational sites to 37% for entertainment sites and 39% for gaming. Furthermore, genetics accounted for 24% of the variance in Facebook use. Our results support an active model of the environment, where young people choose their online engagements in line with their genetic propensities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziada Ayorech
- King's College London, MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie von Stumm
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire M. A. Haworth
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Experimental Psychology & School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver S. P. Davis
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Plomin
- King's College London, MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
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31
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Saltz JB. Genetic variation in social environment construction influences the development of aggressive behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Heredity (Edinb) 2016; 118:340-347. [PMID: 27848947 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2016.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals are not merely subject to their social environments; they choose and create them, through a process called social environment (or social niche) construction. When genotypes differ in social environment-constructing behaviors, different genotypes are expected to experience different social environments. As social experience often affects behavioral development, quantitative genetics and psychology theories predict that genetic variation in social environment construction should have an important role in determining phenotypic variation; however, this hypothesis has not been tested directly. I identify multiple mechanisms of social environment construction that differ among natural genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster and investigate their consequences for the development of aggressive behavior. Male genotypes differed in the group sizes that they preferred and in their aggressive behavior; both of these behaviors influenced social experience, demonstrating that these behaviors function as social environment-constructing traits. Further, the effects of social experience-as determined in part by social environment construction-carried over to affect focal male aggression at a later time and with a new opponent. These results provide manipulative experimental support for longstanding hypotheses in psychology, that genetic variation in social environment construction has a causal role in behavioral development. More broadly, these results imply that studies of the genetic basis of complex traits should be expanded to include mechanisms by which genetic variation shapes the environments that individuals experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Saltz
- Biosciences at Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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32
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Gizer IR. Molecular genetic approaches to understanding the comorbidity of psychiatric disorders. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 28:1089-1101. [PMID: 27739393 PMCID: PMC5079621 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579416000717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies demonstrating high rates of co-occurrence among psychiatric disorders at the population level have contributed to large literatures focused on identifying the causal mechanisms underlying the patterns of co-occurrence among these disorders. Such efforts have long represented a core focus of developmental psychopathologists and have more recently been supported by the Research Domain Criteria initiative developed by the NIMH, which provides a further framework for how the hypothesized mechanisms can be studied at different levels of analysis. The present overview focuses on molecular genetic approaches that are being used currently to study the etiology of psychiatric disorders, and how these approaches have been applied in efforts to understand the biological mechanisms that give rise to comorbid conditions. The present report begins with a review of molecular genetic approaches used to identify individual variants that confer risk for multiple disorders and the intervening biological mechanisms that contribute to their comorbidity. This is followed by a review of molecular genetic approaches that use genetic data in aggregate to examine these questions, and concludes with a discussion of how developmental psychopathologists are uniquely positioned to apply these methods in a way that will further our understanding of the causal factors that contribute to the development of comorbid conditions.
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Stergiakouli E, Thapar A, Davey Smith G. Association of Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy With Behavioral Problems in Childhood: Evidence Against Confounding. JAMA Pediatr 2016; 170:964-970. [PMID: 27533796 PMCID: PMC5300094 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.1775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is used by a large proportion of pregnant women. Research suggests that acetaminophen use in pregnancy is associated with abnormal fetal neurodevelopment. However, it is possible that this association might be confounded by unmeasured behavioral factors linked to acetaminophen use. OBJECTIVE To examine associations between offspring behavioral problems and (1) maternal prenatal acetaminophen use, (2) maternal postnatal acetaminophen use, and (3) partner's acetaminophen use. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS From February 2015 to March 2016, we collected and analyzed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a prospective birth cohort. We studied 7796 mothers enrolled in ALSPAC between 1991 and 1992 along with their children and partners. EXPOSURES Acetaminophen use was assessed by questionnaire completion at 18 and 32 weeks of pregnancy and when the child was 61 months old. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Maternal reports of behavioral problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) when the children were 7 years old. We estimated risk ratios for behavioral problems in children after prenatal, postnatal, and partner's exposure to acetaminophen and mutually adjusted each association. RESULTS Maternal prenatal acetaminophen use at 18 (n = 4415; 53%) and 32 weeks of pregnancy (n = 3381; 42%) was associated with higher odds of having conduct problems (risk ratio [RR], 1.42; 95% CI, 1.25-1.62) and hyperactivity symptoms (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.16-1.49), while maternal acetaminophen use at 32 weeks was also associated with higher odds of having emotional symptoms (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.09-1.53) and total difficulties (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.21-1.77). This was not the case for maternal postnatal (n = 6916; 89%) or partner's (n = 3454; 84%) acetaminophen use. We found the associations between maternal prenatal acetaminophen use and all the SDQ domains unchanged even after adjusting for maternal postnatal or partner's acetaminophen use. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally are at increased risk of multiple behavioral difficulties, and the associations do not appear to be explained by unmeasured behavioral or social factors linked to acetaminophen use insofar as they are not observed for postnatal or partner's acetaminophen use. Although these results could have implications for public health advice, further studies are required to replicate the findings and to understand mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evie Stergiakouli
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Anita Thapar
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Medical Research Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales
| | - George Davey Smith
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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34
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Genetics affects choice of academic subjects as well as achievement. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26373. [PMID: 27310577 PMCID: PMC4910524 DOI: 10.1038/srep26373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that individual differences in educational achievement are highly heritable throughout compulsory education. After completing compulsory education at age 16, students in England can choose to continue to study for two years (A-levels) in preparation for applying to university and they can freely choose which subjects to study. Here, for the first time, we show that choosing to do A-levels and the choice of subjects show substantial genetic influence, as does performance after two years studying the chosen subjects. Using a UK-representative sample of 6584 twin pairs, heritability estimates were 44% for choosing to do A-levels and 52-80% for choice of subject. Achievement after two years was also highly heritable (35-76%). The findings that DNA differences substantially affect differences in appetites as well as aptitudes suggest a genetic way of thinking about education in which individuals actively create their own educational experiences in part based on their genetic propensities.
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35
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Szekely E, Pappa I, Wilson JD, Bhamidi S, Jaddoe VW, Verhulst FC, Tiemeier H, Shaw P. Childhood peer network characteristics: genetic influences and links with early mental health trajectories. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2016; 57:687-94. [PMID: 26689862 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peer relationships are important for children's mental health, yet little is known of their etiological underpinnings. Here, we explore the genetic influences on childhood peer network characteristics in three different networks defined by rejection, acceptance, and prosocial behavior. We further examine the impact of early externalizing and internalizing trajectories on these same peer network characteristics. METHODS Participants were 1,288 children from the Dutch 'Generation R' birth cohort. At age 7, we mapped out children's classroom peer networks for peer rejection, acceptance, and prosocial behavior using mutual peer nominations. In each network, genetic influences were estimated for children's degree centrality, closeness centrality and link reciprocity from DNA using Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis. Preschool externalizing and internalizing trajectories were computed using parental ratings at ages 1.5, 3, and 5 years. RESULTS Of the three network properties examined, closeness centrality emerged as significantly heritable across all networks. Preschool externalizing problems predicted unfavorable positions within peer rejection networks and having fewer mutual friendships. In contrast, children with preschool-internalizing problems were not actively rejected by their peers, but were less well-connected within their social support network. CONCLUSIONS Our finding of significant heritability for closeness centrality should be taken as preliminary evidence that requires replication. Nevertheless, it can orient us to the role of genes in shaping a child's position within peer networks. Additionally, social network perspectives offer rich insights into how early life mental health trajectories impact a child's later functioning within peer networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Szekely
- Section on Neurobehavioral Clinical Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Irene Pappa
- School of Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - James D Wilson
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shankar Bhamidi
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Vincent W Jaddoe
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank C Verhulst
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Shaw
- Section on Neurobehavioral Clinical Research, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Marceau K, Palmer RHC, Neiderhiser JM, Smith TF, McGeary JE, Knopik VS. Passive rGE or Developmental Gene-Environment Cascade? An Investigation of the Role of Xenobiotic Metabolism Genes in the Association Between Smoke Exposure During Pregnancy and Child Birth Weight. Behav Genet 2016; 46:365-77. [PMID: 26803317 PMCID: PMC4866639 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-016-9778-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
There is considerable evidence that smoke exposure during pregnancy (SDP) environmentally influences birth weight after controlling for genetic influences and maternal characteristics. However, maternal smoking during pregnancy-the behavior that leads to smoke exposure during pregnancy-is also genetically-influenced, indicating the potential role of passive gene-environment correlation. An alternative to passive gene-SDP correlation is a cascading effect whereby maternal and child genetic influences are causally linked to prenatal exposures, which then have an 'environmental' effect on the development of the child's biology and behavior. We describe and demonstrate a conceptual framework for disentangling passive rGE from this cascading GE effect using a systems-based polygenic scoring approach comprised of genes shown to be important in the xenobiotic (substances foreign to the body) metabolism pathway. Data were drawn from 5044 families from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children with information on maternal SDP, birth weight, and genetic polymorphisms in the xenobiotic pathway. Within a k-fold cross-validation approach (k = 5), we created weighted maternal and child polygenic scores using 18 polymorphisms from 10 genes that have been implicated in the xenobiotic metabolism pathway. Mothers and children shared variation in xenobiotic metabolism genes. Amongst mothers who smoked during pregnancy, neither maternal nor child xenobiotic metabolism polygenic scores were associated with a higher likelihood of smoke exposure during pregnancy, or the severity of smoke exposure during pregnancy (and therefore, neither proposed mechanism was supported), or with child birth weight. SDP was consistently associated with lower child birth weight controlling for the polygenic scores, maternal educational attainment, social class, psychiatric problems, and age. Limitations of the study design and the potential of the framework using other designs are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Marceau
- Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Coro West Suite 204, 1 Hoppin St, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Rohan H C Palmer
- Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Coro West Suite 204, 1 Hoppin St, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jenae M Neiderhiser
- Psychology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Taylor F Smith
- Department of Psychology and Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
| | - John E McGeary
- Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Coro West Suite 204, 1 Hoppin St, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Valerie S Knopik
- Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Coro West Suite 204, 1 Hoppin St, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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37
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DeVylder JE, Jahn DR, Doherty T, Wilson CS, Wilcox HC, Schiffman J, Hilimire MR. Social and psychological contributions to the co-occurrence of sub-threshold psychotic experiences and suicidal behavior. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2015; 50:1819-30. [PMID: 26493307 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-015-1139-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Psychotic experiences and suicidal behavior commonly co-occur in the general population, which can have implications for suicide prevention approaches. However, little is known about the nature of this relation in non-clinical samples. This cross-sectional study aimed to address a research gap by testing whether the relation between psychotic experiences and suicide-related outcomes (ideation, intent, and attempts) is explained by common social and psychological factors. METHODS Young adult college students (N = 590) were assessed for psychotic experiences, suicidal behavior, and a comprehensive set of 24 potential shared risk factors selected through review of past epidemiological studies and meta-analyses. Nonparametric bootstrapped regression models were used to examine whether these factors attenuated or eliminated the associations between psychotic experiences and suicide-related outcomes. RESULTS Psychotic experiences were associated with greater risk for suicidal ideation and behaviors. Adjustment for psychosocial factors, particularly those contributing to cumulative stress, accounted for the associations between psychotic experiences and suicide-related outcomes, except broadly defined suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the robust associations between psychotic experiences and suicidal behavior demonstrated in past studies may be primarily explained by shared risk factors, rather than by causal relations. In our sample, suicidal behavior and sub-threshold psychosis appear to be trans diagnostic clinical outcomes that share common causes, notably cumulative stress, but do not cause one another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan E DeVylder
- School of Social Work, University of Maryland, 525 W Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
| | - Danielle R Jahn
- VA Capitol Health Care Network (VISN 5) Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tracie Doherty
- School of Social Work, University of Maryland, 525 W Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Camille S Wilson
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Holly C Wilcox
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jason Schiffman
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew R Hilimire
- Department of Psychology, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA
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Corrigall KA, Schellenberg EG. Predicting who takes music lessons: parent and child characteristics. Front Psychol 2015; 6:282. [PMID: 25852601 PMCID: PMC4371583 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on associations between music training and cognitive abilities typically focus on the possible benefits of music lessons. Recent research suggests, however, that many of these associations stem from niche-picking tendencies, which lead certain individuals to be more likely than others to take music lessons, especially for long durations. Because the initial decision to take music lessons is made primarily by a child's parents, at least at younger ages, we asked whether individual differences in parents' personality predict young children's duration of training. Children between 7 and 9 years of age (N = 170) with varying amounts of music training completed a measure of IQ. Their parents provided demographic information as well as ratings of their own and their child's Big Five personality dimensions. Children's personality traits predicted duration of music training even when demographic variables and intelligence were held constant, replicating findings reported previously with 10- to 12-year-olds and 17-year-olds. A novel finding was that parents' openness-to-experience predicted children's duration of training, even when characteristics that pertained to children (demographic variables, intelligence, and personality) were controlled statistically. Our findings are indicative of passive and active gene-environment correlations, whereby genetic predispositions influence the likelihood that a child will have certain experiences, such as music training.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - E Glenn Schellenberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga, ON, Canada
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