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Bruins S, van Bergen E, Masselink MW, Barzeva SA, Hartman CA, Otten R, Rommelse NNJ, Dolan CV, Boomsma DI. Are Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Psychopathology Amplified in Children with Below-Average Intelligence? A Population-Based Twin Study. Behav Genet 2024; 54:278-289. [PMID: 38353893 PMCID: PMC11032279 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10174-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
There is a negative association between intelligence and psychopathology. We analyzed data on intelligence and psychopathology to assess this association in seven-year-old Dutch twin pairs (ranging from 616 to 14,150 depending on the phenotype) and estimated the degree to which genetic and environmental factors common to intelligence and psychopathology explain the association. Secondly, we examined whether genetic and environmental effects on psychopathology are moderated by intelligence. We found that intelligence, as assessed by psychometric IQ tests, correlated negatively with childhood psychopathology, as assessed by the DSM-oriented scales of the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL). The correlations ranged between - .09 and - .15 and were mainly explained by common genetic factors. Intelligence moderated genetic and environmental effects on anxiety and negative affect, but not those on ADHD, ODD, and autism. The heritability of anxiety and negative affect was greatest in individuals with below-average intelligence. We discuss mechanisms through which this effect could arise, and we end with some recommendations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Bruins
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Elsje van Bergen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Research Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maurits W Masselink
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Stefania A Barzeva
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Catharina A Hartman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Roy Otten
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nanda N J Rommelse
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Conor V Dolan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Research and Development (AR&D) Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Moshtael R, Lynch ME, Duncan GE, Beam CR. A Genetically Informed Study of the Association Between Perceived Stress and Loneliness. Behav Genet 2024; 54:268-277. [PMID: 38341828 PMCID: PMC11032291 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10176-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Although research shows a strong positive association between perceived stress and loneliness, the genetic and environmental etiology underlying their association remains unknown. People with a genetic predisposition to perceived stress, for example, may be more prone to feeling lonely and vice versa. Conversely, unique factors in people's lives may explain differences in perceived stress levels that, in turn, affect feelings of loneliness. We tested whether genetic factors, environmental factors, or both account for the association between perceived stress and loneliness. Participants were 3,066 individual twins (nFemale = 2,154, 70.3%) from the Washington State Twin Registry who completed a survey during April-May, 2020. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the item-level perceived stress and loneliness measures. The correlation between latent perceived stress and latent loneliness was .68. Genetic and nonshared environmental variance components underlying perceived stress accounted for 3.71% and 23.26% of the total variance in loneliness, respectively. The genetic correlation between loneliness and perceived stress was .45 and did not differ significantly between men and women. The nonshared environmental correlation was .54 and also did not differ between men and women. Findings suggest that holding constant the strong genetic association between perceived stress and loneliness, unique life experiences underlying people's perceived stress account for individual differences in loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Moshtael
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, 3620 McClintock Ave., Seeley G. Mudd Room 501, Los Angeles, CA, 90063, USA.
| | - Morgan E Lynch
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Glen E Duncan
- Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Washington State University, Pullman, USA
| | - Christopher R Beam
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
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Mascheretti S, Lampis V, Andreola C, Lecce S, Dionne G. Continuity and change of genetic and environmental influences on reading and reading-related neurocognitive skills: A systematic review of longitudinal twin studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 159:105576. [PMID: 38331130 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Learning to read is a dynamic and cumulative process beginning from birth and continuing through the school years. Empirical data showed a decrease of additive genetic (A) and shared environmental (C) components and an increase of non-shared environmental (E) components from preschool to middle school. However, our understanding of the aetiology of continuity and change of reading skills across this developmental period is limited. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we reviewed the results of behavioral genetic research on reading-related neurocognitive skills of 13 longitudinal twin and adoptive sibling studies spanning from preschool/kindergarten to middle/high school. Our findings suggested that continuity was mainly explained by A components throughout the study periods, and, although to a lesser extent and less consistently, by C components during the early years; change was explained by new E components throughout the years, and also by new A components in the early years. As we are interested in models relevant to traits with early onset during development, it is crucial to deepen the investigation of how developmental time can moderate the genetic and environmental variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Mascheretti
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy; Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, via don Luigi Monza 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy.
| | - Valentina Lampis
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy; Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, via don Luigi Monza 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Chiara Andreola
- Université de Paris, Laboratoire de Psychologie de Développement et de l'Éducation de l'Enfant (LaPsyDÉ), 46 rue Saint Jacques, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Serena Lecce
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Ginette Dionne
- École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard, 2325 rue des Bibliothèques, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada.
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Hur YM. Relationship between cognitive ability and emotional problems in the context of poverty: a Nigerian adolescent twin study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:1103-1111. [PMID: 37237243 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02230-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Although previous studies have identified negative relationships between cognitive ability and emotional problems (EP), mechanism explaining these relationships remained unclear. This study evaluated two explanatory models using bivariate moderation model-fitting analysis in a twin design. The resilience model suggests that high cognitive ability decreases the risk of EP in adverse settings, and the scarring model suggests that EP symptoms lead to persistent cognitive deficits following onset. The Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM) and EP scale were administered to a sample of 3,202 twins (mean age = 14.62 ± 1.74 years) attending public schools in Nigeria. The results of bivariate moderation model-fitting analyses only supported the resilience model. Moderation effects were not significant in the scarring model when genetic and environmental influences were incorporated. The best-fitting bivariate moderation model assuming the resilience model yielded a genetic correlation of - 0.57 (95% CI = - 0.40, - 0.84) with no significant environmental correlations. Moreover, the SPM moderated the environmental, not genetic, influences on EP, such that environmental influences were strong when protective factors were absent (low SPM) and weak when these were present (high SPM). These results indicate the need to develop targeted prevention and intervention strategies for EP in adolescents displaying low cognitive ability in deprived settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon-Mi Hur
- Kookmin Twin Research Institute, General College of Education, Kookmin University, Seoul, South Korea.
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Zi Y, Bartels M, Dolan C, de Geus EJC. Genetic confounding in the association of early motor development with childhood and adolescent exercise behavior. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2024; 21:33. [PMID: 38515105 PMCID: PMC10958919 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-024-01583-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Early motor development has been found to be a predictor of exercise behavior in children and adolescents, but whether this reflects a causal effect or confounding by genetic or shared environmental factors remains to be established. METHODS For 20,911 complete twin pairs from the Netherlands Twin Register a motor development score was obtained from maternal reports on the timing of five motor milestones. During a 12-year follow-up, subsamples of the mothers reported on the twins' ability to perform seven gross motor skills ability (N = 17,189 pairs), and weekly minutes of total metabolic equivalents of task (MET) spent on sports and exercise activities at age 7 (N = 3632 pairs), age 10 (N = 3735 pairs), age 12 (N = 7043 pairs), and age 14 (N = 3990 pairs). Multivariate phenotypic and genetic regression analyses were used to establish the predictive strength of the two motor development traits for future exercise behavior, the contribution of genetic and shared environmental factors to the variance in all traits, and the contribution of familial confounding to the phenotypic prediction. RESULTS Significant heritability (h2) and shared environmental (c2) effects were found for early motor development in boys and girls (h2 = 43-65%; c2 = 16-48%). For exercise behavior, genetic influences increased with age (boys: h2age7 = 22% to h2age14 = 51%; girls: h2age7 = 3% to h2age14 = 18%) paired to a parallel decrease in the influence of the shared environment (boys: c2age7 = 68% to c2age14 = 19%; girls: c2age7 = 80% to c2age14 = 48%). Early motor development explained 4.3% (p < 0.001) of the variance in future exercise behavior in boys but only 1.9% (p < 0.001) in girls. If the effect in boys was due to a causal effect of motor development on exercise behavior, all of the factors influencing motor development would, through the causal chain, also influence future exercise behavior. Instead, only the genetic parts of the regression of exercise behavior on motor development were significant. Shared and unique environmental parts of the regression were largely non-significant, which is at odds with the causal hypothesis. CONCLUSION No support was found for a direct causal effect in the association between rapid early motor development on future exercise behavior. In boys, early motor development appears to be an expression of the same genetic factors that underlie the heritability of childhood and early adolescent exercise behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahua Zi
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, H541, Medical Faculty Building, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands
| | - Meike Bartels
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, H541, Medical Faculty Building, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Conor Dolan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, H541, Medical Faculty Building, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eco J C de Geus
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, H541, Medical Faculty Building, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands.
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Register, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Madrid-Valero JJ, Barclay NL, Gregory AM. The interaction between polygenic risk and environmental influences: A direct test of the 3P model of insomnia in adolescents. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 65:308-315. [PMID: 37792459 PMCID: PMC10922170 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress is a universal phenomenon and one of the most common precipitants of insomnia. However, not everyone develops insomnia after experiencing a stressful life event. This study aims to test aspects of Spielman's '3P model of insomnia' (during adolescence) by exploring the extent to which: (a) insomnia symptoms are predicted by polygenic scores (PGS); (b) life events predict insomnia symptoms; (c) the interaction between PGS and life events contribute to the prediction of insomnia symptoms; (d) gene-environment interaction effects remain after controlling for sex. METHODS The sample comprised 4,629 twins aged 16 from the Twin Early Development Study who reported on their insomnia symptoms and life events. PGS for insomnia were calculated. In order to test the main hypothesis of this study (a significant interaction between PGS and negative life events), we fitted a series of mixed effect regressions. RESULTS The best fit was provided by the model including sex, PGS for insomnia, negative life events, and their interactions (AIC = 26,158.7). Our results show that the association between insomnia symptoms and negative life events is stronger for those with a higher genetic risk for insomnia. CONCLUSIONS This work sheds light on the complex relationship between genetic and environmental factors implicated for insomnia. This study has tested for the first time the interaction between genetic predisposition (PGS) for insomnia and environmental stressors (negative life events) in adolescents. This work represents a direct test of components of Spielman's 3P model for insomnia which is supported by our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Madrid-Valero
- Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Nicola L Barclay
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alice M Gregory
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, United Kingdom
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Schwabe I, Jović M, Rimfeld K, Allegrini AG, van den Berg SM. Genotype-Environment Interaction in ADHD: Genetic Predisposition Determines the Extent to Which Environmental Influences Explain Variability in the Symptom Dimensions Hyperactivity and Inattention. Behav Genet 2024; 54:169-180. [PMID: 38270759 PMCID: PMC10861382 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10168-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Although earlier research has shown that individual differences on the spectrum of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are highly heritable, emerging evidence suggests that symptoms are associated with complex interactions between genes and environmental influences. This study investigated whether a genetic predisposition [Note that the term 'genetic predisposition' was used in this manuscript to refer to an estimate based on twin modeling (an individual's score on the latent trait that resembles additive genetic influences) in the particular population being examined.] for the symptom dimensions hyperactivity and inattention determines the extent to which unique-environmental influences explain variability in these symptoms. To this purpose, we analysed a sample drawn from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) that consisted of item-level scores of 2168 16-year-old twin pairs who completed both the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, in J Child Psychol Psychiatry 38:581-586, 1997) and the Strength and Weaknesses of ADHD Symptoms and Normal Behavior (SWAN; Swanson, in Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Los Angeles, 1981) questionnaire. To maximize the psychometric information to measure ADHD symptoms, psychometric analyses were performed to investigate whether the items from the two questionnaires could be combined to form two longer subscales. In the estimation of genotype-environment interaction, we corrected for error variance heterogeneity in the measurement of ADHD symptoms through the application of item response theory (IRT) measurement models. A positive interaction was found for both hyperactivity (e.g., [Formula: see text] = 2.20 with 95% highest posterior density interval equal to [1.79;2.65] and effect size equal to 3.00) and inattention (e.g., [Formula: see text] = 2.16 with 95% highest posterior density interval equal to [1.56;2.79] and effect size equal to 3.07). These results indicate that unique-environmental influences were more important in creating individual differences in both hyperactivity and inattention for twins with a genetic predisposition for these symptoms than for twins without such a predisposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Schwabe
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
| | - Miljan Jović
- Department of Cognition, Data and Education (CODE), University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Kaili Rimfeld
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Andrea G Allegrini
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stéphanie M van den Berg
- Department of Cognition, Data and Education (CODE), University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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Spörlein C, Kristen C, Schmidt R. The intergenerational transmission of risk and trust attitudes: Replicating and extending "Dohmen, Falk, Huffman and Sunde 2012" using genetically informed twin data. Soc Sci Res 2024; 119:102982. [PMID: 38609303 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2024.102982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
This replication revisits an influential contribution on the intergenerational transmission of risk and trust attitudes, which, based on data from the German Socioeconomic Panel (GSOEP), reveals a positive correlation between parents' and children's attitudes. The authors of the original study argue that socialization in the family is important in the transmission process. The replication is motivated by mounting evidence indicating that within-family transmission has a considerable genetic component, which calls into question socialization as the main transmission pathway. To consider genetic transmission in addition to social transmission, the replication relies on the German twin family panel TwinLife. The findings reveal that, first, most of the variation in children's risk and social trust attitudes is attributable to differences in the non-shared environment, followed by genetic differences, whereas differences in the shared family environment - the main candidate for social transmission - do not matter. Second, correlations between parents' and children's attitudes essentially involve genetic similarity. Third, family conditions do not moderate these relationships. Thus, the findings do not support the socialization assumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Spörlein
- Department of Sociology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Cornelia Kristen
- Chair of Sociology, Area Social Stratification, University of Bamberg, Feldkirchenstraße 21, 96052, Bamberg, Germany.
| | - Regine Schmidt
- Chair of Sociology, Area Social Stratification, University of Bamberg, Feldkirchenstraße 21, 96052, Bamberg, Germany.
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Davis CN, Gizer IR, Agrawal A, Statham DJ, Heath AC, Martin NG, Slutske WS. Genetic and shared environmental factors explain the association between adolescent polysubstance use and high school noncompletion. Psychol Addict Behav 2024; 38:114-123. [PMID: 36913302 PMCID: PMC10497723 DOI: 10.1037/adb0000915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Examine the nature of the relationship between adolescent polysubstance use and high school noncompletion. METHOD Among a sample of 9,579 adult Australian twins (58.63% female, Mage = 30.59), we examined the association between the number of substances used in adolescence and high school noncompletion within a discordant twin design and bivariate twin analysis. RESULTS In individual-level models controlling for parental education, conduct disorder symptoms, childhood major depression, sex, zygosity, and cohort, each additional substance used in adolescence was associated with a 30% increase in the odds of high school noncompletion (OR = 1.30 [1.18, 1.42]). Discordant twin models found that the potentially causal effect of adolescent use on high school noncompletion was nonsignificant (OR = 1.19 [0.96, 1.47]). Follow-up bivariate twin models suggested genetic (35.4%, 95% CI [24.5%, 48.7%]) and shared environmental influences (27.8%, 95% CI [12.7%, 35.1%]) each contributed to the covariation in adolescent polysubstance use and early school dropout. CONCLUSIONS The association between polysubstance use and early school dropout was largely accounted for by genetic and shared environmental factors, with nonsignificant evidence for a potentially causal association. Future research should examine whether underlying shared risk factors reflect a general propensity for addiction, a broader externalizing liability, or a combination of the two. More evidence using finer measurement of substance use is needed to rule out a causal association between adolescent polysubstance use and high school noncompletion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christal N. Davis
- University of Missouri, Department of Psychological Sciences, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Ian R. Gizer
- University of Missouri, Department of Psychological Sciences, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | | | - Andrew C. Heath
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Nicholas G. Martin
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 4006, Australia
| | - Wendy S. Slutske
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Madison, WI, 53711, USA
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Krizan Z, Freilich C, Krueger RF, Mann FD. Linking genetic foundations of sleep disturbances to personality traits: a study of mid-life twins. J Sleep Res 2024; 33:e13903. [PMID: 37052324 PMCID: PMC10570399 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Risk of sleep disturbances depends on individuals' personality, and a large body of evidence indicates that individuals prone to neuroticism, impulsivity, and (low) extraversion are more likely to experience them. Origins of these associations are unclear, but common genetic background may play an important role. Participants included 405 twin pairs (mean age of 54 years; 59% female) from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) who reported on their personality traits (broad and specific), as well as sleep disturbances (problems with falling asleep, staying asleep, waking early, and feeling unrested). Uni- and bivariate biometric decompositions evaluated contributions of genetic and environmental factors to associations between personality and poor sleep, as well as unique contributions from individual traits. Neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, and aggressiveness were the strongest phenotypic predictors of poor sleep. Genetic sources of covariance were about twice as large as non-shared environmental sources, and only shared genetic background accounted for links between aggressiveness and poor sleep. Neuroticism and extraversion accounted for most of the genetic overlap between personality and sleep disturbances. The findings shed light on developmental antecedents of ties between personality and poor sleep, suggesting a larger role of common genetic background than idiosyncratic life experiences. The results also suggest that emotion-related traits play the most important role for poor sleep, compared to other personality traits, and may partially account for genetic associations with other traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zlatan Krizan
- Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | | | | | - Frank D Mann
- Stony Brook University, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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11
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Kandler C, Zapko-Willmes A, Rauthmann JF. Broad and narrow environmental and genetic sources of personality differences: An extended twin family study. J Pers 2024; 92:55-72. [PMID: 36131632 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Several personality theories distinguish between rather genetically rooted, universal dispositional traits (DTs) and rather environmentally shaped, more contextualized characteristic adaptations (CAs). However, no study so far has compared different measures of theoretically postulated DTs and CAs regarding their environmental and genetic components while considering differences in measurement abstraction and reliability. This study aims to bridge this gap by testing the assumed differences in the sensitivity to environmental influences based on representative sets of DTs (Big Five and HEXACO domains and facets) and CAs (goals, interests, value priorities, religiousness, and self-schemas). METHOD Using intra-class correlations and running extended twin family and spouses-of-twins model analyses, we analyzed a large data set (N = 1967) encompassing 636 twin pairs, 787 parent-offspring dyads, and 325 spouses/partners. RESULTS Findings consistently support lower environmentality of DTs compared to CAs. On average, more than half of reliable variance in DTs was genetic, whereas the reverse was found for CAs. Larger environmental components in CAs were primarily attributable to larger individual-specific effects (beyond error of measurement) and factors shared by spouses. CONCLUSIONS Findings are discussed against the background of the definitional distinction between DTs and CAs and the value of extended twin family data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John F Rauthmann
- Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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12
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Freilich CD, McGue M, South SC, Roisman GI, Krueger RF. Connecting loneliness with pathological personality traits: Evidence for genetic and environmental mediation from a study of older twins. Personal Disord 2024; 15:34-45. [PMID: 37498698 DOI: 10.1037/per0000635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness has broad public health importance, especially in older adulthood, and there is some evidence suggesting it is associated with several personality disorders (PDs). The etiology of these PD-loneliness associations, however, has rarely been studied, especially in the context of the maladaptive traits of the DSM-5 alternative model of personality disorder (AMPD). To address these limitations, we estimated phenotypic, genetic, and unique environmental associations between loneliness and maladaptive personality traits in a sample of older adults from the Minnesota Twin Registry (n = 1,356, Mage = 70.4). Loneliness was moderately to strongly associated with each of the AMPD domains of negative affect, detachment, antagonism, disinhibition, and psychoticism (r = .22-.58), with evidence of both genetic (rg = .45-.75) and unique environmental (re = .10-.48) influences explaining the associations to varying degrees. We argue that loneliness may be an underappreciated concomitant of personality pathology, with PD traits perhaps underlying its development. Indeed, these findings suggest that loneliness may be a manifestation of the genetic and environmental forces that also lead to pathological personality variation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matt McGue
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Susan C South
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University
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13
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Faur S, Valdes O, Vitaro F, Brendgen M, Boivin M, Laursen B. Reconsidering the failure model: Using a genetically controlled design to assess the spread of problems from reactive aggression to internalizing symptoms through peer rejection across the primary school years. Child Dev 2024; 95:261-275. [PMID: 37584073 PMCID: PMC10841186 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
According to the failure model (Patterson & Capaldi, 1990), peer rejection is the intermediary link between problem behaviors and internalizing symptoms. The present study tested the model with 464 monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twin pairs (234 female, 230 male dyads). Teacher-reported reactive aggression and internalizing symptoms, and peer-reported peer rejection were collected at ages 6, 7, and 10 (from 2001 to 2008). Support for the failure model emerged in conventional non-genetically controlled analyses, but not twin-difference score analyses (which remove shared environmental and genetic contributions). Univariate biometric models attributed minimal variance in failure model variables to shared environmental factors, suggesting that genetic factors play an important unacknowledged role in developmental pathways historically ascribed to nonshared experiences in the failure model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Faur
- Florida Atlantic University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
| | - Olivia Valdes
- Florida Atlantic University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
| | - Frank Vitaro
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mara Brendgen
- University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Brett Laursen
- Florida Atlantic University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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14
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Oginni OA, Ayorinde A, Ayodele KD, Opara OJ, Mapayi B, Mosaku K. The Challenges and Opportunities for Mental Health Twin Research in Nigeria. Behav Genet 2024; 54:42-50. [PMID: 37733122 PMCID: PMC10822790 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10153-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
The recent interest in increasing diversity in genetic research can be useful in uncovering novel insights into the genetic architecture of mental health disorders - globally and in previously unexplored settings such as low- and middle-income settings like Nigeria. Genetic research into mental health is potentially promising in Nigeria and we reflect on the challenges and opportunities for twin research which may be particularly suited to Nigeria. The higher rates of twinning in Africa and Nigeria specifically, make the twin design an affordable and readily maintainable approach for genetic research in the country. Despite potential challenges with recruitment, data collection, data analysis and dissemination; the success of current efforts suggest that the twin design can tapped even further for greater impact in the country. We highlight some ways in which the scope of twin research can be increased and suggest some ways in which existing challenges can be overcome including recent Patient Participant Involve and Engagement activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olakunle Ayokunmi Oginni
- Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
- Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile- Ife, Nigeria.
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Ayoyinka Ayorinde
- Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile- Ife, Nigeria
| | - Kehinde Dorcas Ayodele
- Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile- Ife, Nigeria
| | | | - Boladale Mapayi
- Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
- Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile- Ife, Nigeria
| | - Kolawole Mosaku
- Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
- Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile- Ife, Nigeria
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15
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Rea-Sandin G, Del Toro J, Wilson S. The Heritability of Psychopathology Symptoms in Early Adolescence: Moderation by Family Cultural Values in the ABCD Study. Behav Genet 2024; 54:119-136. [PMID: 37702839 PMCID: PMC10833244 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10154-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Family cultural values that emphasize support, loyalty, and obligation to the family are associated with lower psychopathology in Hispanic/Latino/a youth, but there is a need to understand the implications of family cultural values for youth development in racially/ethnically heterogeneous samples. This study examined phenotypic associations between parent- and youth-reported family cultural values in late childhood on youth internalizing and externalizing symptoms in early adolescence, and whether family cultural values moderated genetic and environmental influences on psychopathology symptoms. The sample comprised 10,335 children (Mage=12.89 years; 47.9% female; 20.3% Hispanic/Latino/a, 15.0% Black, 2.1% Asian, 10.5% other) and their parents from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, and biometric models were conducted in the twin subsample (n = 1,042 twin pairs; 43.3% monozygotic). Parents and youth reported on their family cultural values using the Mexican American Cultural Values Scale at youth age 11-12, and parents reported on youth internalizing and externalizing symptoms using the Child Behavior Checklist at youth ages 11-12 and 12-13. Greater parent- and youth-reported family cultural values predicted fewer youth internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Biometric models indicated that higher parent-reported family cultural values increased the nonshared environmental influences on externalizing symptoms whereas youth-reported family cultural values decreased the nonshared environmental influences on internalizing symptoms. This study highlights the need for behavior genetic research to consider a diverse range of cultural contexts to better understand the etiology of youth psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianna Rea-Sandin
- Department of Psychology, , University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Juan Del Toro
- Department of Psychology, , University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sylia Wilson
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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16
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Pine JG, Agrawal A, Bogdan R, Kandala S, Cooper S, Barch DM. Shared and unique heritability of hippocampal subregion volumes in children and adults. Neuroimage 2024; 285:120471. [PMID: 38007188 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral genetic analyses have not demonstrated robust, unique, genetic correlates of hippocampal subregion volume. Genetic differentiation of hippocampal longitudinal axis subregion volume has not yet been investigated in population-based samples, although this has been demonstrated in rodent and post-mortem human tissue work. The following study is the first population-based investigation of genetic factors that contribute to gray matter volume along the hippocampal longitudinal axis. Twin-based biometric analyses demonstrated that longitudinal axis subregions are associated with significant, unique, genetic variance, and that longitudinal axis subregions are also associated with significant shared, hippocampus-general, genetic factors. Our study's findings suggest that genetic differences in hippocampal longitudinal axis structure can be detected in individual differences in gray matter volume in population-level research designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob G Pine
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States of America.
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States of America
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Sridhar Kandala
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States of America
| | - Shelly Cooper
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States of America; Department of Radiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States of America
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17
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Freis SM, Alexander JD, Anderson JE, Corley RP, De La Vega AI, Gustavson DE, Vrieze SI, Friedman NP. Associations between executive functions assessed in different contexts in a genetically informative sample. J Exp Psychol Gen 2024; 153:70-85. [PMID: 37668562 PMCID: PMC10843656 DOI: 10.1037/xge0001471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Executive functions (EFs) are cognitive functions that help direct goal-related behavior. EFs are usually measured via behavioral tasks assessed in highly controlled laboratory settings under the supervision of a research assistant. Online versions of EF tasks are an increasingly popular alternative to in-lab testing. However, researchers do not have the same control over the testing environment during online EF assessments. To assess the extent to which EFs assessed in-lab and online are related, we used data from the Colorado Online Twin Study (CoTwins; 887 individual twins aged 13.98-19.05) and constructed an Lab Common EF factor and an Online Common EF factor from four EF tasks assessed in-lab and online. The Lab Common and Online Common EF factors were genetically identical (rA = 1.00) but phenotypically separable (r = .77, 95% confidence interval [0.59, 0.94]) indicating that these EF factors have the same genetic underpinnings but may be differentially influenced by environmental factors. We examined phenotypic, genetic, and environmental correlations between the EF factors and a general cognitive ability factor (g) assessed in the lab and found similar relationships between Lab Common EF and g and Online Common EF and g. Overall, these results suggest that Common EF factors assessed in different contexts are highly related to each other and similarly related to other cognitive outcomes. These findings indicate that online task-based EF assessments could be a viable strategy for increasing sample sizes in large-scale studies, particularly genetically informed studies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Freis
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | | | | | - Robin P. Corley
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | | | | | - Scott I. Vrieze
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Naomi P. Friedman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
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18
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Yao X, Klugah-Brown B, Yang H, Biswal B. Structural and functional network analysis of twins using fMRI data. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11060-11069. [PMID: 37771046 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Similarities between twins have been widely demonstrated, underscoring the remarkable influence of genetics across numerous traits. In this study, we explore the genetic underpinnings of the human brain by examining MRI data from the Queensland Twin Imaging study. Specifically, this study seeks to compare brain structure and function between twins and unrelated subjects, with an emphasis on describing the effects of genetic factors. To achieve these goals, we employed the source-based morphometry method to extract intrinsic components and elucidate recognizable patterns. Our results show that twins exhibit a higher degree of similarity in gray and white matter density compared with unrelated individuals. In addition, four distinct states of brain activity were identified using coactivation patterns analysis. Furthermore, twins demonstrated a greater degree of similarity in the temporal and spatial features of each state compared with unrelated subjects. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that twins show greater similarity in both brain structure and dynamic functional brain activity. Further exploration of these methods may advance our understanding of the complex interplay between genes, environment, and brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Yao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Benjamin Klugah-Brown
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Hang Yang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Bharat Biswal
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
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19
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Badini I, Jayaweera K, Pannala G, Adikari A, Siribaddana S, Sumathipala A, McAdams TA, Harber-Aschan L, Hotopf M, Rijsdijk FV, Zavos HMS. Associations between socioeconomic factors and depression in Sri Lanka: The role of gene-environment interplay. J Affect Disord 2023; 340:1-9. [PMID: 37467802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low socioeconomic status is a risk factor for depression. The nature and magnitude of associations can differ cross-culturally and is influenced by a range of contextual factors. We examined the aetiology of socioeconomic indicators and depression symptoms and investigated whether socioeconomic indicators moderate genetic and environmental influences on depression symptoms in a Sri Lankan population. METHODS Data were from a population-based sample of twins (N = 2934) and singletons (N = 1035) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Standard of living, educational attainment, and financial strain were used to index socioeconomic status. Depression symptoms were assessed using the Revised Beck Depression Inventory. Structural equation modelling explored genetic and environmental influences on socioeconomic indicators and depression symptoms and moderation of aetiological influences on depression symptoms by socioeconomic status. RESULTS Depression symptoms were associated with lower standard of living, lower educational attainment, and financial strain. Sex differences were evident in the aetiology of standard of living, with a small contribution of genetic influences in females. Educational attainment was moderately heritable in both males and females. Total variance in depression was greater among less socioeconomically advantaged individuals. Modest evidence of moderation of the aetiology of depression by standard of living and education was observed. LIMITATIONS While the sample is representative of individuals living in Colombo District, it may not be representative of different regions of Sri Lanka. CONCLUSIONS The aetiology of depression varies across socioeconomic contexts, suggesting a potential mechanism through which socioeconomic disadvantage increases the risk for depression in Sri Lanka. Findings have implications for cross-cultural investigations of the role of socioeconomic factors in depression and for identifying targets for social interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Badini
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Kaushalya Jayaweera
- Institute for Research and Development in Health and Social Care, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Gayani Pannala
- Institute for Research and Development in Health and Social Care, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Anushka Adikari
- Institute for Research and Development in Health and Social Care, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | | | - Athula Sumathipala
- Institute for Research and Development in Health and Social Care, Colombo, Sri Lanka; Research Institute for Primary Care & Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Keele University, Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK
| | - Tom A McAdams
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom; Promenta Centre, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Lisa Harber-Aschan
- Psychological Medicine Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Hotopf
- Psychological Medicine Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Fruhling V Rijsdijk
- Psychology Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname
| | - Helena M S Zavos
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
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20
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Womack SR, Beam CR, Giangrande EJ, Scharf RJ, Tong X, Ponnapalli M, Davis DW, Turkheimer E. Nonlinear Catch-Up Growth in Height, Weight, and Head Circumference from Birth to Adolescence: A Longitudinal Twin Study. Behav Genet 2023; 53:385-403. [PMID: 37634182 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10151-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Owing to high rates of prenatal complications, twins are, on average, substantially smaller than population norms on physical measurements including height, weight, and head circumference at birth. By early childhood, twins are physically average. This study is the first to explore the process of catch-up growth by fitting asymptotic growth models to age-standardized height, weight, and head circumference measurements in a community sample of twins (n = 1281, 52.3% female) followed at up to 17 time points from birth to 15 years. Catch-up growth was rapid over the first year and plateaued around the population mean by early childhood. Shared environmental factors accounted for the majority of individual differences in initial physical size (57.7-65.5%), whereas additive genetic factors accounted for the majority of individual differences in the upper asymptotes of height, weight, and head circumference (73.4-92.6%). Both additive genetic and shared environmental factors were associated with variance in how quickly twins caught up. Gestational age and family SES emerged as important environmental correlates of physical catch-up growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean R Womack
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA.
| | - Christopher R Beam
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Evan J Giangrande
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Rebecca J Scharf
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Xin Tong
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Medha Ponnapalli
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Deborah W Davis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
- Norton Children's Research Institute Affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Eric Turkheimer
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
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21
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Yang S, Ma X, Xia X, Qiao Z, Huang M, Wang N, Hu X, Zhang X, Deng W, Kang L, Li X, Hao G, Xi J, Meng H, Li T, Hou X, Fu Y. A Bivariate Twin Study of Cortical Surface Area and Verbal and Nonverbal Intellectual Skills in Adolescence. Neuroscience 2023; 530:173-180. [PMID: 37085008 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the biological basis of cognitive differences between individuals is the goal in human intelligence research. The surface area of the cortex is considered to be a key determinant of human intelligence. Adolescence is a period of development characterized by physiological, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial changes, which is related to the recombination and optimization of the cerebral cortex, and cognitive ability changes significantly in children and adolescents. This study examined the effects of common genetic and environmental factors between the surface area of the cerebral cortex and intelligence in typical developing adolescents (twins, n = 114, age 12-18 years old). Cortical surface area data were parsed into subregions (i.e., frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal areas) and intelligence into verbal and nonverbal skills. We found a phenotypic correlation between regional surface areas and verbal intelligence. No correlation was observed between regional surface areas and nonverbal intelligence, except for the occipital lobe and the right hemisphere. In the bivariate twin analyses, the differences in phenotypic correlation between regional surface areas and verbal intelligence were not due to unshared environmental effects or measurement error, but to genetic effects. In summary, the current study has broadened the previous genetic investigations of cognitive ability and cortical surface area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xingshun Ma
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yulin, Yulin, Shanxi 719000, China
| | - Xiaodi Xia
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zimei Qiao
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yulin, Yulin, Shanxi 719000, China
| | - Miao Huang
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yulin, Yulin, Shanxi 719000, China
| | - Na Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yulin, Yulin, Shanxi 719000, China
| | - Xiaomei Hu
- Department of Abdominal Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi, Guizhou 563003, China
| | | | - Wei Deng
- Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Affiliated Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hang Zhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Line Kang
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yulin, Yulin, Shanxi 719000, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Guangjun Hao
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yulin, Yulin, Shanxi 719000, China
| | - Junfeng Xi
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yulin, Yulin, Shanxi 719000, China
| | - Huaqing Meng
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Tao Li
- Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Affiliated Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hang Zhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Xiao Hou
- Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Yixiao Fu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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22
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Huang Y, Zhang T, Zhang S, Zhang W, Yang L, Zhu D, Liu T, Jiang X, Han J, Guo L. Genetic Influence on Gyral Peaks. Neuroimage 2023; 280:120344. [PMID: 37619794 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic mechanisms have been hypothesized to be a major determinant in the formation of cortical folding. Although there is an increasing number of studies examining the heritability of cortical folding, most of them focus on sulcal pits rather than gyral peaks. Gyral peaks, which reflect the highest local foci on gyri and are consistent across individuals, remain unstudied in terms of heritability. To address this knowledge gap, we used high-resolution data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) to perform classical twin analysis and estimate the heritability of gyral peaks across various brain regions. Our results showed that the heritability of gyral peaks was heterogeneous across different cortical regions, but relatively symmetric between hemispheres. We also found that pits and peaks are different in a variety of anatomic and functional measures. Further, we explored the relationship between the levels of heritability and the formation of cortical folding by utilizing the evolutionary timeline of gyrification. Our findings indicate that the heritability estimates of both gyral peaks and sulcal pits decrease linearly with the evolution timeline of gyrification. This suggests that the cortical folds which formed earlier during gyrification are subject to stronger genetic influences than the later ones. Moreover, the pits and peaks coupled by their time of appearance are also positively correlated in respect of their heritability estimates. These results fill the knowledge gap regarding genetic influences on gyral peaks and significantly advance our understanding of how genetic factors shape the formation of cortical folding. The comparison between peaks and pits suggests that peaks are not a simple morphological mirror of pits but could help complete the understanding of folding patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huang
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710129, China; School of Information and Technology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China
| | - Tuo Zhang
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710129, China.
| | - Songyao Zhang
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710129, China
| | - Weihan Zhang
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710129, China
| | - Li Yang
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710129, China
| | - Dajiang Zhu
- Computer Science & Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, TX 76010, USA
| | - Tianming Liu
- Cortical Architecture Imaging and Discovery Lab, Department of Computer Science and Bioimaging Research Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Xi Jiang
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610056, China
| | - Junwei Han
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710129, China
| | - Lei Guo
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710129, China
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23
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Waldman ID, Poore HE. Evaluating alternative models of youth externalizing using quantitative genetic analyses. J Psychopathol Clin Sci 2023; 132:833-846. [PMID: 37843541 DOI: 10.1037/abn0000874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Interest has increased in the recent literature on characterizing psychopathology dimensionally in hierarchical models. One dimension of psychopathology that has received considerable attention is externalizing. Although extensively studied and well-characterized in late adolescents and adults, delineation of the externalizing spectrum in youth has lagged behind. As a complement to structural analyses of externalizing, in this study, we use quantitative genetic analyses of twin data to adjudicate among alternative models of youth externalizing that differ in granularity. Specifically, we compared model fit, estimates of genetic and environmental influences on the externalizing dimension, and the average, variability, and precision of genetic and environmental influences on individual symptoms due to the externalizing dimension, specific symptom dimensions, and unique etiological influences. Given that none of these criteria are definitive on their own, we looked to the confluence of these criteria to exclude particular models while highlighting others as leading contenders. We analyzed parent-report data on 38 externalizing symptoms from a population-representative, ethnically diverse sample of 883 youth twin pairs (51% female), who were on average 8.5 years old. Although models including an externalizing composite and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder diagnoses and symptom dimensions showed similar heritability to latent variable models of externalizing, models that included latent dimensions of externalizing and more fine-grained symptom dimensions fit better and were more balanced in the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on individual symptoms due to the externalizing dimension and specific symptom dimensions. Pending replication, these more granular and elaborated model(s) can be useful for advancing research on causes and outcomes of youth externalizing and its fine-grained specific components. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Holly E Poore
- Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Molecular Neuroscience of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Training (MNADRT) Program
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24
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ZI YAHUA, VAN BEIJSTERVELDT CATHARINAEM, BARTELS MEIKE, DE GEUS ECOJC. Genetic and Environmental Effects on the Early Motor Development as a Function of Parental Educational Attainment. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2023; 55:1845-1856. [PMID: 37184488 PMCID: PMC10487425 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000003209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The contribution of genetic and environmental factors to individual differences in early motor development is still largely uncharted. This large-scale twin study establishes the genetic and environmental influences on the timing of motor milestones achievement, and it further tests whether the influences are moderated by parental education. METHODS The twins came from families registered in the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) from 1986 to 2016. In 30,256 complete twin pairs, mother-reported ages at which each twin was able to first-time roll from back to belly, sit unassisted, hands-and-knees crawl, stand up unaided, and walk independently were used to extract an early motor development factor. Parental education was dichotomized ("both parents with low/average education" vs "at least one parent with high education" with university degree as a threshold). RESULTS Additive genetics explained 52% of the variance in motor development, the remaining 39% and 9% were explained by shared and nonshared environment separately. Mean age of achieving motor milestones tended to be higher in infants with high educated parents, and a moderation of parental education on the genetic and environmental variance in motor development was seen in female twins with larger heritability in the high educated parents group (64% vs 43%) paired to a lower shared environmental influence (28% vs 48%). Only 7%-8% of the variance was accounted for nonshared environmental factors, including measurement error. The pattern of results did not change when the degree of urbanicity, a correlate of parental education, was additionally considered. CONCLUSIONS Genetic factors explain most of the individual differences in the timing of motor milestone achievement, but factors related to the shared home environment also play an important role in early motor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- YAHUA ZI
- School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, CHINA
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
| | | | - MEIKE BARTELS
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
| | - ECO J. C. DE GEUS
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
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25
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Wesseldijk LW, Ullén F, Mosing MA. Music and Genetics. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105302. [PMID: 37400010 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
The first part of this review provides a brief historical background of behavior genetic research and how twin and genotype data can be utilized to study genetic influences on individual differences in human behavior. We then review the field of music genetics, from its emergence to large scale twin studies and the recent, first molecular genetic studies of music-related traits. In the second part of the review, we discuss the wider utility of twin and genotype data beyond estimating heritability and gene-finding. We present four examples of music studies that utilized genetically informative samples to analyze causality and gene-environmental interplay for music skills. Overall, research in the field of music genetics has gained much momentum over the last decade and its findings highlight the importance of studying both environmental and genetic factors and particularly their interplay, paving the way for exciting and fruitful times to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura W Wesseldijk
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Fredrik Ullén
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Miriam A Mosing
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
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26
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Huang Y, Wu Z, Li T, Wang X, Wang Y, Xing L, Zhu H, Lin W, Wang L, Guo L, Gilmore JH, Li G. Mapping Genetic Topography of Cortical Thickness and Surface Area in Neonatal Brains. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6010-6020. [PMID: 37369585 PMCID: PMC10451118 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1841-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult twin neuroimaging studies have revealed that cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) are differentially influenced by genetic information, leading to their spatially distinct genetic patterning and topography. However, the postnatal origins of the genetic topography of CT and SA remain unclear, given the dramatic cortical development from neonates to adults. To fill this critical gap, this study unprecedentedly explored how genetic information differentially regulates the spatial topography of CT and SA in the neonatal brain by leveraging brain magnetic resonance (MR) images from 202 twin neonates with minimal influence by the complicated postnatal environmental factors. We capitalized on infant-dedicated computational tools and a data-driven spectral clustering method to parcellate the cerebral cortex into a set of distinct regions purely according to the genetic correlation of cortical vertices in terms of CT and SA, respectively, and accordingly created the first genetically informed cortical parcellation maps of neonatal brains. Both genetic parcellation maps exhibit bilaterally symmetric and hierarchical patterns, but distinct spatial layouts. For CT, regions with closer genetic relationships demonstrate an anterior-posterior (A-P) division, while for SA, regions with greater genetic proximity are typically within the same lobe. Certain genetically informed regions exhibit strong similarities between neonates and adults, with the most striking similarities in the medial surface in terms of SA, despite their overall substantial differences in genetic parcellation maps. These results greatly advance our understanding of the development of genetic influences on the spatial patterning of cortical morphology.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Genetic influences on cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) are complex and could evolve throughout the lifespan. However, studies revealing distinct genetic topography of CT and SA have been limited to adults. Using brain structural magnetic resonance (MR) images of twins, we unprecedentedly discovered the distinct genetically-informed parcellation maps of CT and SA in neonatal brains, respectively. Each genetic parcellation map comprises a distinct spatial layout of cortical regions, where vertices within the same region share high genetic correlation. These genetic parcellation maps of CT and SA of neonates largely differ from those of adults, despite their highly remarkable similarities in the medial cortex of SA. These discoveries provide important insights into the genetic organization of the early cerebral cortex development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
| | - Zhengwang Wu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
| | - Tengfei Li
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
| | - Xifeng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516
| | - Ya Wang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
| | - Lei Xing
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Hongtu Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516
| | - Weili Lin
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
| | - Lei Guo
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710129, China
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
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27
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Cantave CY, Brendgen M, Paquin S, Lupien S, Dionne G, Vitaro F, Boivin M, Ouellet-Morin I. The phenotypic associations and gene-environment underpinnings of socioeconomic status and diurnal cortisol secretion in adolescence. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:1119-1129. [PMID: 34698624 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
While converging evidence suggests that both environmental and genetic factors underlie variations in diurnal cortisol, the extent to which these sources of influence vary according to socioeconomic status (SES) has seldom been investigated, particularly in adolescence. To investigate whether a distinct genetic and environmental contribution to youth's diurnal cortisol secretion emerges according to family SES and whether the timing of these experiences matters. Participants were 592 twin pairs, who mostly came from middle-income and intact families and for whom SES was measured in childhood and adolescence. Diurnal cortisol was assessed at age 14 at awakening, 30 min later, in the afternoon and evening over four nonconsecutive days. SES-cortisol phenotypic associations were specific to the adolescence period. Specifically, higher awakening cortisol levels were detected in wealthier backgrounds, whereas higher cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal changes were present at both ends of the SES continuum. Moreover, smaller genetic contributions emerged for awakening cortisol in youth from poorer compared to wealthier backgrounds. The results suggest that the relative contribution of inherited factors to awakening cortisol secretion may be enhanced or suppressed depending on the socio-family context, which may help to decipher the mechanisms underlying later adjustment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mara Brendgen
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada
| | - Stéphane Paquin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sonia Lupien
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada
- Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ginette Dionne
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michel Boivin
- School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada
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28
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Paulich KN, Freis SM, Dokuru DR, Alexander JD, Vrieze SI, Corley RP, McGue M, Hewitt JK, Stallings MC. Exploring Relationships Between Internalizing Problems and Risky Sexual Behavior: A Twin Study. Behav Genet 2023; 53:331-347. [PMID: 37165251 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10146-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Previous research links risky sexual behavior (RSB) to externalizing problems and to substance use, but little research has been conducted on relationships between internalizing problems (INT) and RSB. The current study addresses that literature gap, using both a twin sample from Colorado (N = 2567) and a second twin sample from Minnesota (N = 1131) in attempt to replicate initial results. We explored the hypothesis that the latent variable INT would be more strongly associated with the latent variable RSB for females than for males, examining relationships between INT and RSB via phenotypic confirmatory factor analysis and multivariate twin analyses. We found a small but significant phenotypic association between the latent variables. However, despite using two large twin samples, limited power restricted our ability to identify the genetic and environmental mechanisms underlying this association. Our sex differences hypothesis was not fully supported in either sample and requires further investigation. Our findings illustrate the complexity of the relationship between internalizing problems and risky sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie N Paulich
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30th St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA.
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Samantha M Freis
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30th St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Deepika R Dokuru
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30th St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Scott I Vrieze
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Robin P Corley
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30th St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Matt McGue
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - John K Hewitt
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30th St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Michael C Stallings
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30th St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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29
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Odintsova VV, van Dongen J, van Beijsterveldt CEM, Ligthart L, Willemsen G, de Geus EJC, Dolan CV, Boomsma DI. Handedness and 23 Early Life Characteristics in 37,495 Dutch Twins. Twin Res Hum Genet 2023; 26:199-208. [PMID: 37448258 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2023.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
In studies of singletons, a range of early-life characteristics have been reported to be associated with handedness, but some of these associations have failed to replicate. We examined associations between 23 early life characteristics with handedness in a large sample of 37,495 5-year-old twins. We considered three definitions of handedness: left-handedness (LH), mixed-handedness (MH), and non-right-handedness (NRH). Our main aim was to test whether the associations with sex, birth weight, gestational age, and season of birth - as reported in singletons - replicate in twins, and to examine twin-specific variables, including zygosity, chorionicity, birth order, and intertwin delivery time. Compared to previously published data from adults born as singletons (7.23%), the prevalence of NRH was higher in both twins (16.19%) and their parents (15.09%). In the twins, LH and NRH were associated with parents' LH. Male sex and lower gestational age were associated with NRH, and LH was associated with not being breastfed. MH was related to neurodevelopmental delays and higher externalizing problems later in childhood. Other previously reported associations were not replicated, and no twin-specific characteristics were related to handedness. These results emphasize the importance of considering multiple definitions of handedness and indicate a small number of replicated associations across studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika V Odintsova
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development (AR&D) Research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jenny van Dongen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development (AR&D) Research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Lannie Ligthart
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gonneke Willemsen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eco J C de Geus
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Conor V Dolan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development (AR&D) Research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Maes HH, Neale MC, Ohlsson H, Sundquist J, Sundquist K, Kendler KS. Genetic and Cultural Transmission of Alcohol Use Disorder in Swedish Twin Pedigrees. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2023; 84:368-377. [PMID: 36971731 PMCID: PMC10364785 DOI: 10.15288/jsad.22-00097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Using Swedish nationwide registry data, we investigated the contribution of genetic and environmental risk factors to the etiology of alcohol use disorder (AUD) by extended twin pedigree modeling. METHOD AUD was defined using public inpatient, outpatient, prescription, and criminal records. Three-generational pedigrees were selected for index individuals born between 1980 and 1990, obtained from the national twin and genealogical registers, whose parents were twins. Relatives of the twins included in the pedigrees were their parents, siblings, spouses, and children. Genetic structural equation modeling was applied to the population-based data on AUD, using OpenMx, with age used as a covariate. RESULTS Analyses including up to 162,469 individuals in 18,971 pedigrees estimated AUD prevalence at 5%-12% in men and 2%-5% in women. Results indicated substantial heritability (about 50%-60%), of which a portion upwards of 5% was attributable to the consequences of assortative mating. Contributions of shared environmental factors to AUD, which represent a mix of within- and cross-generational effects, appeared to be moderate (about 10%-20%). Unique environment accounted for the remaining variance (about 20%-30%). Sex differences in the magnitude of the variance components suggested higher heritability in men and correspondingly higher shared environmental contributions in women. CONCLUSIONS Using objective registry data, we found that AUD is highly heritable. Furthermore, shared environmental factors contributed significantly to the liability of AUD in both men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermine H. Maes
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Michael C. Neale
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Henrik Ohlsson
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | | | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
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Carroll SL, Klump KL, Burt SA. Understanding the effects of neighborhood disadvantage on youth psychopathology. Psychol Med 2023; 53:3036-3046. [PMID: 35168691 PMCID: PMC9378764 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721005080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 1942, Shaw and McKay reported that disadvantaged neighborhoods predict youth psychopathology (Shaw & McKay, ). In the decades since, dozens of papers have confirmed and extended these early results, convincingly demonstrating that disadvantaged neighborhood contexts predict elevated rates of both internalizing and externalizing disorders across childhood and adolescence. It is unclear, however, how neighborhood disadvantage increases psychopathology. METHODS Our study sought to fill this gap in the literature by examining the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a composite measure of Census tract disadvantage, as an etiologic moderator of several common forms of psychopathology in two samples of school-aged twins from the Michigan State University Twin Registry (N = 4815 and 1030 twin pairs, respectively), the latter of which was enriched for neighborhood disadvantage. RESULTS Across both samples, genetic influences on attention-deficit hyperactivity problems were accentuated in the presence of marked disadvantage, while nonshared environmental contributions to callous-unemotional traits increased with increasing disadvantage. However, neighborhood disadvantage had little moderating effect on the etiology of depression, anxiety, or somatic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Such findings suggest that, although neighborhood disadvantage does appear to serve as a general etiologic moderator of many (but not all) forms of psychopathology, this etiologic moderation is phenotype-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Carroll
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kelly L. Klump
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - S. Alexandra Burt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Gidziela A, Malanchini M, Rimfeld K, McMillan A, Ronald A, Viding E, Pike A, Asbury K, Eley TC, von Stumm S, Plomin R. Explaining the influence of non-shared environment (NSE) on symptoms of behaviour problems from preschool to adulthood: mind the missing NSE gap. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023; 64:747-757. [PMID: 36436837 PMCID: PMC10953036 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual differences in symptoms of behaviour problems in childhood and adolescence are not primarily due to nature or nurture - another substantial source of variance is non-shared environment (NSE). However, few specific environmental factors have been found to account for these NSE estimates. This creates a 'missing NSE' gap analogous to the 'missing heritability' gap, which refers to the shortfall in identifying DNA differences responsible for heritability. We assessed the extent to which variance in behaviour problem symptoms during the first two decades of life can be accounted for by measured NSE effects after controlling for genetics and shared environment. METHODS The sample included 4,039 pairs of twins in the Twins Early Development Study whose environments and symptoms of behaviour problems were assessed in preschool, childhood, adolescence and early adulthood via parent, teacher and self-reports. Twin-specific environments were assessed via parent-reports, including early life adversity, parental feelings, parental discipline and classroom environment. Multivariate longitudinal twin model-fitting was employed to estimate the variance in behaviour problem symptoms at each age that could be predicted by environmental measures at the previous age. RESULTS On average across childhood, adolescence and adulthood, parent-rated NSE composite measures accounted for 3.4% of the reliable NSE variance (1.0% of the total variance) in parent-rated, symptoms of behaviour problems, 0.5% (0.1%) in teacher-rated symptoms and 0.9% (0.5%) in self-rated symptoms after controlling for genetics, shared environment and error of measurement. Cumulatively across development, our parent-rated NSE measures in preschool, childhood and adolescence predicted 4.7% of the NSE variance (2.0% of the total variance) in parent-rated and 0.3% (0.2%) in self-rated behaviour problem symptoms in adulthood. CONCLUSIONS The missing NSE gap between variance explained by measured environments and total NSE variance is large. Home and classroom environments are more likely to influence behaviour problem symptoms via genetics than via NSE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Gidziela
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Margherita Malanchini
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Kaili Rimfeld
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
- Department of PsychologyRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUK
| | - Andrew McMillan
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Angelica Ronald
- Department of Psychological SciencesBirkbeck University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Essi Viding
- Division of Psychology and Language SciencesUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Alison Pike
- School of PsychologyUniversity of SussexBrightonUK
| | | | - Thalia C. Eley
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Robert Plomin
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
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Clark DA, Durbin CE, Heitzeg MM, Iacono WG, McGue M, Hicks BM. Personality and peer groups in adolescence: Reciprocal associations and shared genetic and environmental influences. J Pers 2023; 91:464-481. [PMID: 35686934 PMCID: PMC10087543 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Peer groups represent a critical developmental context in adolescence, and there are many well-documented associations between personality and peer behavior at this age. However, the precise nature and direction of these associations are difficult to determine as youth both select into, and are influenced by, their peers. METHOD We thus examined the phenotypic, genetic, and environmental links between antisocial and prosocial peer characteristics and several personality traits from middle childhood to late adolescence (ages 11, 14, and 17 years) in a longitudinal twin sample (N = 3762) using teacher ratings of personality and self-reports of peer characteristics. RESULTS Less adaptive trait profiles (i.e., high negative emotionality, low conscientiousness, and low agreeableness) were associated with more antisocial and fewer prosocial peer characteristics across time. Associations between personality traits related to emotionality (negative emotionality and extraversion) and peer behavior were largely attributable to shared genetic influences, while associations between personality traits related to behavioral control (conscientiousness and agreeableness) and peer behavior were due to overlapping genetic and shared environmental influences. CONCLUSIONS Overall, results suggest a set of environmental presses that push youth toward both behavioral undercontrol and antisocial peer affiliations, making the identification of such influences and their relative importance a critical avenue of future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Angus Clark
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - C. Emily Durbin
- Department of PsychologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Mary M. Heitzeg
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - William G. Iacono
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Matt McGue
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Brian M. Hicks
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
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Bouchard TJ. The Garden of Forking Paths; An Evaluation of Joseph's 'A Reevaluation of the 1990 "Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart" IQ Study'. Twin Res Hum Genet 2023; 26:133-142. [PMID: 37272376 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2023.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Joseph has written what purports to be a refutation of studies of Twins Reared-Apart (TRAs) with a singular focus on the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared-Apart (MISTRA). I show, in detail, that (a) his criticisms of previous TRA studies depend on sources that were discredited prior to MISTRA, as they all failed the test of replicability, (b) the list of biases he uses to invalidate MISTRA do not support his arguments, (c) the accusations of questionable research practices are unsubstantiated, (d) his claim that MISTRA should be evaluated in the context of psychology's replication crisis is refuted. The TRA studies are constructive replications. Like many other scholars, past and present, he has been misled by the variation introduced by small samples (sampling error) and the distortion created by walking in the garden of forking paths. His endeavor is a concatenation of elision and erroneous statistical/scientific reasoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Bouchard
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Silventoinen K, Maia J, Li W, Sund R, Gouveia ÉR, Antunes A, Marques G, Thomis M, Jelenkovic A, Kaprio J, Freitas D. Genetic regulation of body size and morphology in children: a twin study of 22 anthropometric traits. Int J Obes (Lond) 2023; 47:181-189. [PMID: 36635383 PMCID: PMC10023566 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01253-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anthropometric measures show high heritability, and genetic correlations have been found between obesity-related traits. However, we lack a comprehensive analysis of the genetic background of human body morphology using detailed anthropometric measures. METHODS Height, weight, 7 skinfold thicknesses, 7 body circumferences and 4 body diameters (skeletal breaths) were measured in 214 pairs of twin children aged 3-18 years (87 monozygotic pairs) in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Factor analysis (Varimax rotation) was used to analyze the underlying structure of body physique. Genetic twin modeling was used to estimate genetic and environmental contributions to the variation and co-variation of the anthropometric traits. RESULTS Together, two factors explained 80% of the variation of all 22 anthropometric traits in boys and 73% in girls. Obesity measures (body mass index, skinfold thickness measures, as well as waist and hip circumferences) and limb circumferences loaded most strongly on the first factor, whereas height and body diameters loaded especially on the second factor. These factors as well as all anthropometric measures showed high heritability (80% or more for most of the traits), whereas the rest of the variation was explained by environmental factors not shared by co-twins. Obesity measures showed high genetic correlations (0.75-0.98). Height showed the highest genetic correlations with body diameter measures (0.58-0.76). Correlations between environmental factors not shared by co-twins were weaker than the genetic correlations but still substantial. The correlation patterns were roughly similar in boys and girls. CONCLUSIONS Our results show high genetic correlations underlying the human body physique, suggesting that there are sets of genes widely affecting anthropometric traits. Better knowledge of these genetic variants can help to understand the development of obesity and other features of the human physique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karri Silventoinen
- Population Research Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - José Maia
- Center of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Weilong Li
- Population Research Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Reijo Sund
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Élvio R Gouveia
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal
- LARSYS, Interactive Technologies Institute, Funchal, Portugal
| | - António Antunes
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Marques
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal
| | - Martine Thomis
- Physical Activity, Sports & Health Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aline Jelenkovic
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Jaakko Kaprio
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Duarte Freitas
- Center of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal
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Yilmaz Z, Quattlebaum MJ, Pawar PS, Thornton LM, Bulik CM, Javaras KN, Yao S, Lichtenstein P, Larsson H, Baker JH. Associations Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Dimensions and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adolescence: A Population-Based Twin Study. Behav Genet 2023; 53:143-153. [PMID: 36484893 PMCID: PMC10167484 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-022-10128-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Although bivariate associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and eating disorders in adolescent girls and boys have been previously identified, the mechanistic link underlying the symptom-level associations remains unclear. We evaluated shared genetic and environmental influences on ADHD symptoms and disordered eating in 819 female and 756 male twins from the Swedish TCHAD cohort using bivariate models. Common additive genetic and unique environmental effects accounted for majority of ADHD and disordered eating associations in a differential manner. For girls, the strongest genetic correlation was observed for cognitive/inattention problems-bulimia (0.54), with genetic factors accounting for 67% of the phenotypic correlation. For boys, the strongest genetic correlations were observed for conduct problems-bulimia and hyperactivity-bulimia (~ 0.54), accounting for 83% and 95% of the phenotypic correlation, respectively. As per our findings, the risk of comorbidity and shared genetics highlights the need for preventative measures and specialized treatment for ADHD and disordered eating in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Yilmaz
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mary J Quattlebaum
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Pratiksha S Pawar
- Dr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Institute, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India
| | - Laura M Thornton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cynthia M Bulik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kristin N Javaras
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Women's Mental Health, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Shuyang Yao
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paul Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Jessica H Baker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Rea-Sandin G, Clifford S, Doane LD, Davis MC, Grimm KJ, Russell MT, Lemery-Chalfant K. Genetic and environmental links between executive functioning and effortful control in middle childhood. J Exp Psychol Gen 2023; 152:780-793. [PMID: 36095169 PMCID: PMC10008466 DOI: 10.1037/xge0001298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
There is a need to understand the components of self-regulation, given its link to nearly every domain of functioning across the life span. This study examined the etiological underpinnings of covariance between measures of executive functioning (EF) and effortful control (EC) in middle childhood. The extent that genetic and environmental factors explain the association between EF and EC is unknown. Families were drawn from a longitudinal twin study (N = 894 twins; Mage = 8.87 years, SD = 1.10; 51.4% female; 46.8% non-Hispanic White, 28% Latino/a/x) and twins completed EF tasks during a home visit (Flanker Task, Continuous Performance Task, and Digit Span Backward) and primary caregivers (93.8% mothers) reported on their twins' EC (Attentional Focusing and Inhibitory Control). Univariate twin models showed additive genetic and nonshared environmental influences on the Flanker Task, Continuous Performance Task, Digit Span Backward, and parent-reported Inhibitory Control, and dominant genetic influences were implicated in parent-reported Attentional Focusing. Bivariate twin models revealed that additive genetic influences explained the small covariance between EF and EC. Executive attention could explain the genetic covariance between measures of EF and EC. This study suggests that EF and EC tap into the same underlying self-regulation construct, with weak correlations between constructs being attributed to measurement, rather than conceptual, differences. Elucidating the overlap between EF and EC can bring researchers closer to understanding how best to foster adaptive self-regulation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianna Rea-Sandin
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sierra Clifford
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Leah D. Doane
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Mary C. Davis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Kevin J. Grimm
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Madisen T. Russell
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, IN, United States
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Arpawong TE, Gatz M, Zavala C, Gruenewald TL, Walters EE, Prescott CA. Nature, Nurture, and the Meaning of Educational Attainment: Differences by Sex and Socioeconomic Status. Twin Res Hum Genet 2023; 26:1-9. [PMID: 36912114 PMCID: PMC10497722 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2023.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Estimated heritability of educational attainment (EA) varies widely, from 23% to 80%, with growing evidence suggesting the degree to which genetic variation contributes to individual differences in EA is highly dependent upon situational factors. We aimed to decompose EA into influences attributable to genetic propensity and to environmental context and their interplay, while considering influences of rearing household economic status (HES) and sex. We use the Project Talent Twin and Sibling Study, drawn from the population-representative cohort of high school students assessed in 1960 and followed through 2014, to ages 68-72. Data from 3552 twins and siblings from 1741 families were analyzed using multilevel regression and multiple group structural equation models. Individuals from less-advantaged backgrounds had lower EA and less variation. Genetic variance accounted for 51% of the total variance, but within women and men, 40% and 58% of the total variance respectively. Men had stable genetic variance on EA across all HES strata, whereas high HES women showed the same level of genetic influence as men, and lower HES women had constrained genetic influence on EA. Unexpectedly, middle HES women showed the largest constraints in genetic influence on EA. Shared family environment appears to make an outsized contribution to greater variability for women in this middle stratum and whether they pursue more EA. Implications are that without considering early life opportunity, genetic studies on education may mischaracterize sex differences because education reflects different degrees of genetic and environmental influences for women and men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thalida Em Arpawong
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Margaret Gatz
- Department of Psychology, Dornsife School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for Economic and Social Research, Dornsife School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Catalina Zavala
- Department of Psychology, Dornsife School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Ellen E. Walters
- Center for Economic and Social Research, Dornsife School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Carol A. Prescott
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Psychology, Dornsife School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Dotterer HL, Vazquez AY, Hyde LW, Neumann CS, Santtila P, Pezzoli P, Johansson A, Burt SA. Elucidating the role of negative parenting in the genetic v. environmental influences on adult psychopathic traits. Psychol Med 2023; 53:897-907. [PMID: 37132644 PMCID: PMC9976022 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721002269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychopathic traits involve interpersonal manipulation, callous affect, erratic lifestyle, and antisocial behavior. Though adult psychopathic traits emerge from both genetic and environmental risk, no studies have examined etiologic associations between adult psychopathic traits and experiences of parenting in childhood, or the extent to which parenting practices may impact the heritability of adult psychopathic traits using a genetically-informed design. METHODS In total, 1842 adult twins from the community reported their current psychopathic traits and experiences of negative parenting during childhood. We fit bivariate genetic models to the data, decomposing the variance within, and the covariance between, psychopathic traits and perceived negative parenting into their genetic and environmental components. We then fit a genotype × environment interaction model to evaluate whether negative parenting moderated the etiology of psychopathic traits. RESULTS Psychopathic traits were moderately heritable with substantial non-shared environmental influences. There were significant associations between perceived negative parenting and three of four psychopathy facets (interpersonal manipulation, erratic lifestyle, antisocial tendencies, but not callous affect). These associations were attributable to a common non-shared environmental pathway and not to overlapping genetic effects. Additionally, we found that primarily shared environmental influences were stronger on psychopathic traits for individuals with a history of greater negative parenting. CONCLUSIONS Utilizing a genetically-informed design, we found that both genetic and non-shared environmental factors contribute to the emergence of psychopathic traits. Moreover, perceptions of negative parenting emerged as a clear environmental influence on the development of interpersonal, lifestyle, and antisocial features of psychopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luke W. Hyde
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Craig S. Neumann
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
| | - Pekka Santtila
- NYU-ECNU Institute for Social Development, NYU Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Patrizia Pezzoli
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ontario, CA, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Ada Johansson
- Faculty of Arts, Psychology, and Theology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - S. Alexandra Burt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Ding Q, Bi D, Zhou Y, Bai X, Li X. Genetic and environmental sources of familial resemblance in anxiety: a nuclear twin family design. Psychol Med 2023; 53:103-111. [PMID: 33883046 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721001197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A dominant feature of anxiety disorders is familial aggregation. However, the underlying mechanisms of between- and within-generational anxiety resemblance remain poorly understood. By disentangling the genetic v. environmental sources of familial resemblance in anxiety, we can help prevent within-family transmission of anxiety disorders. Therefore, data from both parents and twins are needed to obtain unbiased and detailed estimations of genetic and environmental sources of similarity between family members. METHODS We examined data from 991 families with same-sex twins. Trait anxiety in twins was assessed via self-report and parent report, while parental trait anxiety was assessed via self-report. We established a nuclear twin family model and estimated genetic and environmental variances using two survey waves. RESULTS The results suggested that additive genetic (A), dominant genetic (D), and non-shared environmental (E) influences significantly contributed to trait anxiety, whereas familial environmental influences (F) and passive gene-environment correlations (rGE) did not. Sibling environmental influences (S) were only found in self-report data, and increased when genetic influences decreased from Wave 1 to Wave 2. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the important role of broad heritability in intrafamilial trait anxiety similarity. Parent-child resemblance occurred primarily due to shared genetic makeup rather than direct environmental transmission. Sibling-specific environments, as the only source of shared environments, need further investigation. These findings have both theoretical and practical significance for anxiety disorders. Future research can expand our understanding by examining the gene-environment interplay and sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingwen Ding
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Bi
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yueyue Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Bai
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinying Li
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Mikhail ME, Carroll SL, Clark DA, O’Connor SM, Culbert KM, Burt SA, Klump KL. Disadvantage and disordered eating in boys: Examining phenotypic and genotype × environment associations across development. J Psychopathol Clin Sci 2023; 132:51-62. [PMID: 36689370 PMCID: PMC9878376 DOI: 10.1037/abn0000791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Socioeconomic disadvantage may be a significant risk factor for disordered eating, particularly for individuals with underlying genetic risk. However, little to nothing is known about the impact of disadvantage on disordered eating in boys during the critical developmental risk period. Crucially, risk models developed for girls may not necessarily apply to boys, as boys show different developmental patterns of disordered eating risk (i.e., earlier activation of genetic influences during adrenarche, an early stage of puberty). This is the first study to examine phenotypic and Genotype × Environment (G × E) effects of disadvantage in boys. Analyses examined 3,484 male twins ages 8-17 (Mage = 12.27, SD = 2.96) from the Michigan State University Twin Registry. Disordered eating (e.g., body dissatisfaction, binge eating) was measured using the parent-report Michigan Twins Project Eating Disorder Survey. Neighborhood disadvantage was measured using a census-tract level Area Deprivation Index, and family socioeconomic status was determined from parental income and education. Adrenarche status was determined using multiple indicators, including age and Pubertal Development Scale scores. G × E models suggested that genetic influences on disordered eating were activated earlier for boys experiencing familial or neighborhood disadvantage, with substantial genetic influences in early adrenarche, when genetic influences were low in more advantaged boys. Phenotypically, both neighborhood and familial disadvantage were associated with greater disordered eating for boys in late adrenarche, which could indicate a lasting impact of earlier activation of genetic influences on later risk. Results highlight disadvantage as a novel risk factor for disordered eating in boys, particularly those with genetic vulnerabilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Mikhail
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Sarah L. Carroll
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - D. Angus Clark
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Kristen M. Culbert
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - S. Alexandra Burt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kelly L. Klump
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Ribeiro C, Severo M, Oliveira A, Barros H, Ramos E. Are problematic eating behaviors from 4- to 7-year-old explained by genetic, shared factors or individual characteristics? A longitudinal twin study. Eur J Clin Nutr 2023; 77:82-89. [PMID: 35945260 DOI: 10.1038/s41430-022-01192-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Studies based on twins are ideal to disentangle the relative contribution of different factors in the development of eating behaviors. This study aims to evaluate if changes in problematic eating behaviors from 4 to 7 years old are more influenced by the genetics, the shared environment of twins, or by individual characteristics of each twin. A total of 86 caregivers (mostly mothers) of twins from the Generation XXI birth cohort provided information on eating behaviors at 4 and 7 years of age. A score of problematic eating behaviors was developed. The Common fate model and the ACE model were used to estimate the effect of shared, individual, and genetic characteristics on changes in eating behaviors. At the dyadic level (shared), the eating behavior score at 4 years old was significantly and positively associated with the eating behavior at 7 years of age (β = 0.402, 95% CI 0.063;0.657). At the individual level, no significant association was observed (β = 0.020, 95% CI -0.078;0.125). The ACE model also showed the shared environment as the major responsible for the changes in eating behaviors from 4 to 7 years old. It also showed that genetic characteristics decreased their relevance overtime. This study supports that changes in eating behaviors from 4 to 7 years of age are mostly associated with the shared environment rather than individual characteristics of each twin. These results are important to improve future strategies to promote healthy environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Ribeiro
- EPIUnit, Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal.
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Milton Severo
- EPIUnit, Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreia Oliveira
- EPIUnit, Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Henrique Barros
- EPIUnit, Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Ramos
- EPIUnit, Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
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Strelnikov D, Alijanpourotaghsara A, Piroska M, Szalontai L, Forgo B, Jokkel Z, Persely A, Hernyes A, Kozak LR, Szabo A, Maurovich-Horvat P, Tarnoki DL, Tarnoki AD. Heritability of Subcortical Grey Matter Structures. Medicina (Kaunas) 2022; 58:1687. [PMID: 36422226 PMCID: PMC9696305 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58111687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Subcortical grey matter structures play essential roles in cognitive, affective, social, and motoric functions in humans. Their volume changes with age, and decreased volumes have been linked with many neuropsychiatric disorders. The aim of our study was to examine the heritability of six subcortical brain volumes (the amygdala, caudate nucleus, pallidum, putamen, thalamus, and nucleus accumbens) and four general brain volumes (the total intra-cranial volume and the grey matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume) in twins. Materials and Methods: A total of 118 healthy adult twins from the Hungarian Twin Registry (86 monozygotic and 32 dizygotic; median age 50 ± 27 years) underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. Two automated volumetry pipelines, Computational Anatomy Toolbox 12 (CAT12) and volBrain, were used to calculate the subcortical and general brain volumes from three-dimensional T1-weighted images. Age- and sex-adjusted monozygotic and dizygotic intra-pair correlations were calculated, and the univariate ACE model was applied. Pearson's correlation test was used to compare the results obtained by the two pipelines. Results: The age- and sex-adjusted heritability estimates, using CAT12 for the amygdala, caudate nucleus, pallidum, putamen, and nucleus accumbens, were between 0.75 and 0.95. The thalamus volume was more strongly influenced by common environmental factors (C = 0.45-0.73). The heritability estimates, using volBrain, were between 0.69 and 0.92 for the nucleus accumbens, pallidum, putamen, right amygdala, and caudate nucleus. The left amygdala and thalamus were more strongly influenced by common environmental factors (C = 0.72-0.85). A strong correlation between CAT12 and volBrain (r = 0.74-0.94) was obtained for all volumes. Conclusions: The majority of examined subcortical volumes appeared to be strongly heritable. The thalamus was more strongly influenced by common environmental factors when investigated with both segmentation methods. Our results underline the importance of identifying the relevant genes responsible for variations in the subcortical structure volume and associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Strelnikov
- Medical Imaging Centre, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Marton Piroska
- Medical Imaging Centre, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Laszlo Szalontai
- Medical Imaging Centre, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bianka Forgo
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, 702 81 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Zsofia Jokkel
- Medical Imaging Centre, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Alíz Persely
- Medical Imaging Centre, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anita Hernyes
- Medical Imaging Centre, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Adam Szabo
- Medical Imaging Centre, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary
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van de Weijer MP, Pelt DHM, van Beijsterveldt CEM, Willemsen G, Bartels M. Genetic factors explain a significant part of associations between adolescent well-being and the social environment. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 31:1611-1622. [PMID: 34028610 PMCID: PMC9532338 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01798-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Socio-environmental factors play an important role in adolescent well-being, but potential genetic contributions to these associations are rarely assessed. To address this gap in the literature, associations between well-being and family conflict and functioning, number of friends, friendship importance and satisfaction, and leisure time variables were studied in N = ~ 4700 twin pairs from the Netherlands Twin Register, us ing generalized estimating equations and twin-difference scores. When twin-difference scores indicated a role for genetic factors, we used bivariate genetic models to quantify genetic and environmental contributions to these associations. We identify significant associations between well-being and family functioning, family conflict, different leisure time activities, number of friends, and satisfaction with friendships. Additionally, we find evidence for large (73-91%) genetic influence on the associations between well-being and family conflict and functioning, leisure time sport/scouting clubs, and satisfaction with friendships. Finally, findings support the hypothesis of a causal association between well-being and family conflict and functioning. These findings have important implications for research into the social correlates of well-being in adolescence, as not taking genetic factors into account leads to overestimations of the influence of identified correlates and consequently to recommendations of these correlates as intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot P van de Weijer
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Dirk H M Pelt
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Catharina E M van Beijsterveldt
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gonneke Willemsen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Meike Bartels
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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45
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Arnett AB, McGrath LM, Flaherty BP, Pennington BF, Willcutt E. Heritability and Clinical Characteristics of Neuropsychological Profiles in Youth With and Without Elevated ADHD Symptoms. J Atten Disord 2022; 26:1422-1436. [PMID: 35102766 PMCID: PMC9283222 DOI: 10.1177/10870547221075842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In the last decade, there has been an increase in research that aims to parse heterogeneity in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The current study tests heritability of latent class neuropsychological subtypes. METHOD Latent class analysis was used to derive subtypes in a sample of school-age twins (N = 2,564) enriched for elevated ADHD symptoms. RESULTS Five neuropsychological profiles replicated across twin 1 and twin 2 datasets. Latent class membership was heritable overall, but heritability varied by profile and was lower than heritability of ADHD status. Variability in neuropsychological performance across domains was the strongest predictor of elevated ADHD symptoms. Neuropsychological profiles showed distinct associations with age, psychiatric symptoms and reading ability. CONCLUSION Neuropsychological profiles are associated with unique neurocognitive presentations, but are not strong candidate endophenotypes for ADHD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne B. Arnett
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Brookline, MA
| | | | | | | | - Erik Willcutt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO
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Villumsen MD, Ahrenfeldt LJ, Christensen K, Ewertz M, Hjelmborg JB. Cancer-related reductions in survival: extent and duration evaluated using a large cohort study of twins, 1943-2011. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022; 31:1796-1803. [PMID: 35820201 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-22-0244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The time during which there is an increased risk of death for cancer survivors was evaluated in a large twin study, which allows for matching on shared components such as age, genes, and socioeconomic factors in childhood. METHODS By use of data from Danish registers, time to death from initial cancer was studied prospectively in twins in two different settings. The twins were diagnosed with at least one cancer in the period 1943-2011. Setting I included 5,680 same-sex twin pairs aged six and over, while Setting II included 3,218 twin individuals from age 70 and over. The study provides comparisons within twin pairs and across birth cohorts, age at diagnoses, and time at diagnosis. RESULTS In 2001-2011, the five-year mortality risk for a twin surviving cancer after the age of 70 was twofold that of the co-twin, regardless of sex and zygosity, and it was 1.5-fold if the twin survived the initial nine months. After five to six years, the mortality risk corresponded to that of the co-twin. In previous decades, the excess hazard risk was considerably higher for both older and younger cohorts. There were no indications of change in relative survival across old birth cohorts. CONCLUSIONS This large twin study suggested that for a cancer-treatment survivor diagnosed at age 70 or later, the additional mortality risk was largely absent five years later, by which time the survival relative to the co-twin was 60%. IMPACT Elevated mortality risk after cancer is offset after five-six years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Dalgaard Villumsen
- Danish Twin Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Linda Juel Ahrenfeldt
- Danish Twin Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Kaare Christensen
- Danish Twin Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Danish Aging Research Center, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Marianne Ewertz
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Academy of Geriatric Cancer Research (AgeCare), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jacob B Hjelmborg
- Danish Twin Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Xi YE, Gao WJ, Hong XM, Lyu J, Yu CQ, Wang SF, Huang T, Sun DJY, Liao CX, Pang YJ, Pang ZC, Yu M, Wang H, Wu XP, Dong Z, Wu F, Jiang GH, Wang XJ, Liu Y, Deng J, Lu L, Cao WH, Li L. [Heritability and genetic correlation of body mass index and coronary heart disease in Chinese adult twins]. Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi 2022; 56:940-946. [PMID: 35899346 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112150-20210707-00651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Objective: To examine the heritability of body mass index (BMI) and coronary heart disease (CHD), and to explore whether genetic factors can explain their correlation. Methods: Participants were from 11 provinces/municipalities reqistered in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) from 2010 to 2018. Participants data were collected from face-to-face questionnaire survey. Bivariate structure equation model was used to estimate the heritability and the genetic correlation of BMI and CHD. Results: A total of 20 340 pairs of same-sex twins aged ≥25 years were included in this study. After adjusting for age and gender, the heritability of BMI and CHD was 0.52 (95%CI: 0.49-0.55) and 0.76 (95%CI: 0.69-0.81), respectively. Further, a genetic correlation was identified between BMI and CHD (rA=0.10, 95%CI:0.02-0.17). Conclusion: In Chinese adult twin population, BMI and CHD are affected by genetic factors, and their correlation can be attributed to the common genetic basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y E Xi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - W J Gao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - X M Hong
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - J Lyu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - C Q Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - S F Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - T Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - D J Y Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - C X Liao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Y J Pang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Z C Pang
- Qingdao Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao 266033, China
| | - M Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China
| | - H Wang
- Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - X P Wu
- Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Z Dong
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing 100013, China
| | - F Wu
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - G H Jiang
- Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin 300011, China
| | - X J Wang
- Qinghai Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Xining 810007, China
| | - Y Liu
- Heilongjiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin 150030, China
| | - J Deng
- Handan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Handan 056001, China
| | - L Lu
- Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming 650034, China
| | - W H Cao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Liming Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
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48
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Matthews LJ, Turkheimer E. Three legs of the missing heritability problem. Stud Hist Philos Sci 2022; 93:183-191. [PMID: 35533541 PMCID: PMC9172633 DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsa.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The so-called 'missing heritability problem' is often characterized by behavior geneticists as a numerical discrepancy between alternative kinds of heritability. For example, while 'traditional heritability' derived from twin and family studies indicates that approximately ∼50% of variation in intelligence is attributable to genetics, 'SNP heritability' derived from genome-wide association studies indicates that only ∼10% of variation in intelligence is attributable to genetics. This 40% gap in variance accounted for by alternative kinds of heritability is frequently referred to as what's "missing." Philosophers have picked up on this reading, suggesting that "dissolving" the missing heritability problem is merely a matter of closing the numerical gap between traditional and molecular kinds of heritability. We argue that this framing of the problem undervalues the severity of the many challenges to scientific understanding of the "heritability" of human behavior. On our view, resolving the numerical discrepancies between alternative kinds of heritability will do little to advance scientific explanation and understanding of behavior genetics. Thus, we propose a new conceptual framework of the missing heritability problem that comprises three independent methodological and explanatory challenges: the numerical gap, the prediction gap, and the mechanism gap.
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Xi YE, Gao WJ, Lyu J, Yu CQ, Wang SF, Huang T, Sun DJY, Liao CX, Pang YJ, Pang ZC, Yu M, Wang H, Wu XP, Dong Z, Wu F, Jiang GH, Wang XJ, Liu Y, Deng J, Lu L, Cao WH, Li L. [Gene-lifestyle interaction on coronary heart disease in adult twins of China]. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi 2022; 43:649-654. [PMID: 35589567 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112338-20210707-00530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Objective: To explore the gene-lifestyle interaction on coronary heart disease (CHD) in adult twins of China. Methods: Participants were selected from twin pairs registered in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR). Univariate interaction model was used to estimate the interaction, via exploring the moderation effect of lifestyle on the genetic variance of CHD. Results: A total of 20 477 same-sex twin pairs aged ≥25 years were recruited, including 395 CHD cases, and 66 twin pairs both had CHD. After adjustment for age and sex, no moderation effects of lifestyles, including current smoking, current drinking, physical activity, intake of vegetable and fruit, on the genetic variance of CHD were found (P>0.05), suggesting no significant interactions. Conclusion: There was no evidence suggesting statistically significant gene-lifestyle interaction on CHD in adult twins of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y E Xi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - W J Gao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - J Lyu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - C Q Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - S F Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - T Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - D J Y Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - C X Liao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Y J Pang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Z C Pang
- Qingdao Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao 266033, China
| | - M Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China
| | - H Wang
- Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - X P Wu
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Z Dong
- Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing 100013, China
| | - F Wu
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - G H Jiang
- Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin 300011, China
| | - X J Wang
- Qinghai Center for Diseases Prevention and Control, Xining 810007, China
| | - Y Liu
- Heilongjiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin 150090, China
| | - J Deng
- Handan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Handan 056001, China
| | - L Lu
- Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming 650034, China
| | - W H Cao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Liming Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
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50
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Ahmadzadeh YI, Eley TC, Hannigan L, Creswell C, Lichtenstein P, Spotts E, Ganiban J, Neiderhiser J, Rijsdijk F, McAdams TA. Parental criticism and adolescent internalising symptoms: using a Children-of-Twins design with power calculations to account for genetic influence. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:599-607. [PMID: 34374994 PMCID: PMC8828800 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parental criticism is correlated with internalising symptoms in adolescent offspring. This correlation could in part reflect their genetic relatedness, if the same genes influence behaviours in both parents and offspring. We use a Children-of-Twins design to assess whether parent-reported criticism and offspring internalising symptoms remain associated after controlling for shared genes. To aid interpretation of our results and those of previous Children-of-Twins studies, we examine statistical power for the detection of genetic effects and explore the direction of possible causal effects between generations. METHODS Data were drawn from two Swedish twin samples, comprising 876 adult twin pairs with adolescent offspring and 1,030 adolescent twin pairs with parents. Parent reports of criticism towards their offspring were collected concurrently with parent and offspring reports of adolescent internalising symptoms. Children-of-Twins structural equation models were used to control for genetic influence on the intergenerational association between parental criticism and adolescent internalising. RESULTS Parental criticism was associated with adolescent internalising symptoms after controlling for genetic influence. No significant role was found for shared genes influencing phenotypes in both generations, although power analyses suggested that some genetic effects may have gone undetected. Models could not distinguish directionality for nongenetic, causal effects between generations. CONCLUSIONS Parental criticism may be involved in psychosocial family processes in the context of adolescent internalising. Future studies should seek to identify these processes and provide clarity on the direction of potential causal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin I Ahmadzadeh
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Thalia C Eley
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Laurie Hannigan
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Cathy Creswell
- Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erica Spotts
- Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jody Ganiban
- Department of Psychology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jenae Neiderhiser
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Fruhling Rijsdijk
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Tom A McAdams
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Promenta Research Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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