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Zhou Q, Zhao X, Chen J, Xu J, Yang A, Xiong Y, Yin X, Zhao XM, Li X. Association between twin status with cognitive, behavioral development and brain structure in early adolescence: a retrospective cohort analysis based on the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024:10.1007/s00787-024-02515-6. [PMID: 39060518 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-024-02515-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Twin births are related with maternal and fetal adverse outcomes. Little was known about the comparability of the cognitive, behavioral development and brain structure between twins and singletons in early adolescence. This retrospective cohort study was based on data from the United States population-based, prospective, longitudinal observational Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Children with complete twin status information were enrolled, and the exposure variable was twin status. Primary outcomes were cognitive, behavioral development and brain structure in early adolescence. Cognitive and behavioral outcomes were assessed by using the NIH Toolbox and Child Behavioral Checklist, respectively. Brain structure was evaluated by the cortical thickness, area, and volume extracted from the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Subgroup analyses were conducted by prematurity, birth weight, with sibling, genetic profiles, and twin types (zygosity). From 1st September 2016 to 15th November 2018, 11545 children (9477 singletons and 2068 twins) aged 9-10 years were enrolled. Twins showed mildly lower cognitive performance (|t|> 5.104, P-values < 0.001, False Discovery Rate [FDR] < 0.001), better behavioral outcome (|t|> 2.441, P-values < 0.015, FDR < 0.042), such as lower scores for multiple psychiatric disorders and behavioral issues, and smaller cortical volume (t = - 3.854, P-values < 0.001, FDR < 0.001) and cortical area (t = - 3.872, P-values < 0.001, FDR < 0.001). The observed differences still held when stratified for prematurity, birth weight, presence of siblings, genetic profiles, and twin types (zygosity). Furthermore, analyses on the two-year follow-up data showed consistent results with baseline data. Twin status is associated with lower cognitive and better behavioral development in early adolescence accompanied by altered brain structure. Clinicians should be aware of the possible difference when generalizing results from adolescent twin samples to singletons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiongjie Zhou
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200023, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingzhong Zhao
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jingqi Chen
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinghui Xu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200023, China
| | - Anyi Yang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yu Xiong
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200023, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuan Yin
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200023, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xing-Ming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital and Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiaotian Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200023, China.
- Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, 518028, Shenzhen, China.
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2
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Roe JM, Vidal-Pineiro D, Amlien IK, Pan M, Sneve MH, Thiebaut de Schotten M, Friedrich P, Sha Z, Francks C, Eilertsen EM, Wang Y, Walhovd KB, Fjell AM, Westerhausen R. Tracing the development and lifespan change of population-level structural asymmetry in the cerebral cortex. eLife 2023; 12:e84685. [PMID: 37335613 PMCID: PMC10368427 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical asymmetry is a ubiquitous feature of brain organization that is subtly altered in some neurodevelopmental disorders, yet we lack knowledge of how its development proceeds across life in health. Achieving consensus on the precise cortical asymmetries in humans is necessary to uncover the developmental timing of asymmetry and the extent to which it arises through genetic and later influences in childhood. Here, we delineate population-level asymmetry in cortical thickness and surface area vertex-wise in seven datasets and chart asymmetry trajectories longitudinally across life (4-89 years; observations = 3937; 70% longitudinal). We find replicable asymmetry interrelationships, heritability maps, and test asymmetry associations in large-scale data. Cortical asymmetry was robust across datasets. Whereas areal asymmetry is predominantly stable across life, thickness asymmetry grows in childhood and peaks in early adulthood. Areal asymmetry is low-moderately heritable (max h2SNP ~19%) and correlates phenotypically and genetically in specific regions, indicating coordinated development of asymmetries partly through genes. In contrast, thickness asymmetry is globally interrelated across the cortex in a pattern suggesting highly left-lateralized individuals tend towards left-lateralization also in population-level right-asymmetric regions (and vice versa), and exhibits low or absent heritability. We find less areal asymmetry in the most consistently lateralized region in humans associates with subtly lower cognitive ability, and confirm small handedness and sex effects. Results suggest areal asymmetry is developmentally stable and arises early in life through genetic but mainly subject-specific stochastic effects, whereas childhood developmental growth shapes thickness asymmetry and may lead to directional variability of global thickness lateralization in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Roe
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Didac Vidal-Pineiro
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Inge K Amlien
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Mengyu Pan
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Markus H Sneve
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Michel Thiebaut de Schotten
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA, University of BordeauxBordeauxFrance
- Brian Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory, Sorbonne UniversityParisFrance
| | - Patrick Friedrich
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Centre JülichJülichGermany
| | - Zhiqiang Sha
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenNetherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Espen M Eilertsen
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Yunpeng Wang
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Kristine B Walhovd
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
| | - Anders M Fjell
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
| | - René Westerhausen
- Section for Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of OsloOsloNorway
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3
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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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Xenophontos A, Seidlitz J, Liu S, Clasen LS, Blumenthal JD, Giedd JN, Alexander-Bloch A, Raznahan A. Altered Sex Chromosome Dosage Induces Coordinated Shifts in Cortical Anatomy and Anatomical Covariance. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:2215-2228. [PMID: 31828307 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosome dosage (SCD) variation increases risk for neuropsychiatric impairment, which may reflect direct SCD effects on brain organization. Here, we 1) map cumulative X- and Y-chromosome dosage effects on regional cortical thickness (CT) and investigate potential functional implications of these effects using Neurosynth, 2) test if this map is organized by patterns of CT covariance that are evident in health, and 3) characterize SCD effects on CT covariance itself. We modeled SCD effects on CT and CT covariance for 308 equally sized regions of the cortical sheet using structural neuroimaging data from 301 individuals with varying numbers of sex chromosomes (169 euploid, 132 aneuploid). Mounting SCD increased CT in the rostral frontal cortex and decreased CT in the lateral temporal cortex, bilaterally. Regions targeted by SCD were associated with social functioning, language processing, and comprehension. Cortical regions with a similar degree of SCD-sensitivity showed heightened CT covariance in health. Finally, greater SCD also increased covariance among regions similarly affected by SCD. Our study both 1) develops novel methods for comparing typical and disease-related structural covariance networks in the brain and 2) uses these techniques to resolve and identify organizing principles for SCD effects on regional cortical anatomy and anatomical covariance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Xenophontos
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jay N Giedd
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Aaron Alexander-Bloch
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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5
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Forsyth JK, Mennigen E, Lin A, Sun D, Vajdi A, Kushan-Wells L, Ching CRK, Villalon-Reina JE, Thompson PM, Bearden CE. Prioritizing Genetic Contributors to Cortical Alterations in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Using Imaging Transcriptomics. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:3285-3298. [PMID: 33638978 PMCID: PMC8196250 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) results from a hemizygous deletion that typically spans 46 protein-coding genes and is associated with widespread alterations in brain morphology. The specific genetic mechanisms underlying these alterations remain unclear. In the 22q11.2 ENIGMA Working Group, we characterized cortical alterations in individuals with 22q11DS (n = 232) versus healthy individuals (n = 290) and conducted spatial convergence analyses using gene expression data from the Allen Human Brain Atlas to prioritize individual genes that may contribute to altered surface area (SA) and cortical thickness (CT) in 22q11DS. Total SA was reduced in 22q11DS (Z-score deviance = -1.04), with prominent reductions in midline posterior and lateral association regions. Mean CT was thicker in 22q11DS (Z-score deviance = +0.64), with focal thinning in a subset of regions. Regional expression of DGCR8 was robustly associated with regional severity of SA deviance in 22q11DS; AIFM3 was also associated with SA deviance. Conversely, P2RX6 was associated with CT deviance. Exploratory analysis of gene targets of microRNAs previously identified as down-regulated due to DGCR8 deficiency suggested that DGCR8 haploinsufficiency may contribute to altered corticogenesis in 22q11DS by disrupting cell cycle modulation. These findings demonstrate the utility of combining neuroanatomic and transcriptomic datasets to derive molecular insights into complex, multigene copy number variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Forsyth
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Eva Mennigen
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Amy Lin
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Daqiang Sun
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
| | - Ariana Vajdi
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Leila Kushan-Wells
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Christopher R K Ching
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Julio E Villalon-Reina
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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6
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Nadig A, Seidlitz J, McDermott CL, Liu S, Bethlehem R, Moore TM, Mallard TT, Clasen LS, Blumenthal JD, Lalonde F, Gur RC, Gur RE, Bullmore ET, Satterthwaite TD, Raznahan A. Morphological integration of the human brain across adolescence and adulthood. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2023860118. [PMID: 33811142 PMCID: PMC8040585 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2023860118] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain structural covariance norms capture the coordination of neurodevelopmental programs between different brain regions. We develop and apply anatomical imbalance mapping (AIM), a method to measure and model individual deviations from these norms, to provide a lifespan map of morphological integration in the human cortex. In cross-sectional and longitudinal data, analysis of whole-brain average anatomical imbalance reveals a reproducible tightening of structural covariance by age 25 y, which loosens after the seventh decade of life. Anatomical imbalance change in development and in aging is greatest in the association cortex and least in the sensorimotor cortex. Finally, we show that interindividual variation in whole-brain average anatomical imbalance is positively correlated with a marker of human prenatal stress (birthweight disparity between monozygotic twins) and negatively correlated with general cognitive ability. This work provides methods and empirical insights to advance our understanding of coordinated anatomical organization of the human brain and its interindividual variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Nadig
- Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115;
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
| | - Cassidy L McDermott
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Richard Bethlehem
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom
| | - Tyler M Moore
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
| | - Travis T Mallard
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - François Lalonde
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Ruben C Gur
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
| | - Raquel E Gur
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
| | - Edward T Bullmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom
| | | | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
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Human Connectome Project: heritability of brain volumes in young healthy adults. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:1273-1286. [PMID: 33611617 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06057-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Here we report on the heritability and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) of brain volumes in 1,103 young healthy adults with mean age 29.2 years. Among them are: 153 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs and 86 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs, 133 non-twin siblings of MZ twins, 76 non-twin siblings of DZ twins, 335 siblings, and 81 unrelated individuals. ICCs were calculated between pairs of the following genetic groups: (1) MZ twins; (2) DZ twins; (3) MZ twins-their singleton siblings; (4) DZ twins-their singleton siblings; (5) siblings (SB); and (6) unrelated individuals (NR). We studied 4 brain groups: global, lobar, subcortical, and cortical brain regions. For each of 4 brain groups we found the same order of ICCs ranging from the highest values for MZ twins, statistically significantly smaller for the DZ twins and 3 sibling groups, and practically zero for NR. The DZ twins and 3 sibling groups were not different. No hemispheric difference was found in any genetic group. Among brain groups, the highest heritability was for the global regions, followed by lobar and subcortical groups. Only the cortical brain group heritability was statistically lower than other brain groups. We found less genetic control on the left hemisphere than on the right but no significant difference between hemispheres, and no hemispheric lateralization of heritability for any of the brain groups. These findings document substantial and systematic heritability of global and regional brain volumes.
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Schmitt JE, Raznahan A, Clasen LS, Wallace GL, Pritikin JN, Lee NR, Giedd JN, Neale MC. The Dynamic Associations Between Cortical Thickness and General Intelligence are Genetically Mediated. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:4743-4752. [PMID: 30715232 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural substrates of intelligence represent a fundamental but largely uncharted topic in human developmental neuroscience. Prior neuroimaging studies have identified modest but highly dynamic associations between intelligence and cortical thickness (CT) in childhood and adolescence. In a separate thread of research, quantitative genetic studies have repeatedly demonstrated that most measures of intelligence are highly heritable, as are many brain regions associated with intelligence. In the current study, we integrate these 2 streams of prior work by examining the genetic contributions to CT-intelligence relationships using a genetically informative longitudinal sample of 813 typically developing youth, imaged with high-resolution MRI and assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scales (IQ). In addition to replicating the phenotypic association between multimodal association cortex and language centers with IQ, we find that CT-IQ covariance is nearly entirely genetically mediated. Moreover, shared genetic factors drive the rapidly evolving landscape of CT-IQ relationships in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Eric Schmitt
- Departments of Radiology and Psychiatry, Division of Neuroradiology, Brain Behavior Laboratory, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, Room 4D18, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, Room 4D18, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Greg L Wallace
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The George Washington University, 2115 G Street NW, Hall of Government, Room 226, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Joshua N Pritikin
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 980126, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Nancy Raitano Lee
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Stratton Hall, Room 123E, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jay N Giedd
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0949, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael C Neale
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 980126, Richmond, VA, USA
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Maggioni E, Squarcina L, Dusi N, Diwadkar VA, Brambilla P. Twin MRI studies on genetic and environmental determinants of brain morphology and function in the early lifespan. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 109:139-149. [PMID: 31911159 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopment represents a period of increased opportunity and vulnerability, during which a complex confluence of genetic and environmental factors influences brain growth trajectories, cognitive and mental health outcomes. Recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on twins have increased our knowledge of the extent to which genes, the environment and their interactions shape inter-individual brain variability. The present review draws from highly salient MRI studies in young twin samples to provide a robust assessment of the heritability of structural and functional brain changes during development. The available studies suggest that (as with many other traits), global brain morphology and network organization are highly heritable from early childhood to young adulthood. Conversely, genetic correlations among brain regions exhibit heterogeneous trajectories, and this heterogeneity reflects the progressive, experience-related increase in brain network complexity. Studies also support the key role of environment in mediating brain network differentiation via changes of genetic expression and hormonal levels. Thus, rest- and task-related functional brain circuits seem to result from a contextual and dynamic expression of heritability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Maggioni
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, via F. Sforza 28, Milano, Italy
| | - Letizia Squarcina
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, via Don Luigi Monza 20, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
| | - Nicola Dusi
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, via F. Sforza 28, Milano, Italy
| | - Vaibhav A Diwadkar
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, 42 W Warren Ave, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, via F. Sforza 28, Milano, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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