Genetics and brain morphology

Neuropsychology Review
Lachlan T StrikeMargaret J Wright

Abstract

A wealth of empirical evidence is accumulating on the genetic mediation of brain structure phenotypes. This comes from twin studies that assess heritability and genetic covariance between traits, candidate gene associations, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that can identify specific genetic variants. Here we review the major findings from each of these approaches and consider how they inform on the genetic architecture of brain structure. The findings from twin studies show there is a strong genetic influence (heritability) on brain structure, and overlap of genetic effects (pleiotropy) between structures, and between structure and cognition. However, there is also evidence for genetic specificity, with distinct genetic effects across some brain regions. Candidate gene associations show little convergence; most have been under powered to detect effect sizes of the magnitude now expected. GWAS have identified 19 genetic variants for brain structure, though no replicated associations account for more than 1% of the variance. Together these studies are revealing new insights into the genetic architecture of brain morphology. As the scope of inquiry broadens, including measures that capture the complexity of the brain, a...Continue Reading

References

Feb 1, 1978·Heredity·N G MartinP Davies
Jul 1, 1967·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·I I Gottesman, J Shields
Mar 24, 1997·The Journal of Comparative Neurology·G SimićN Bogdanović
Feb 1, 1997·Brain : a Journal of Neurology·A J BartleyD R Weinberger
Jun 17, 1998·Stroke; a Journal of Cerebral Circulation·D CarmelliB L Miller
Oct 8, 1999·Stroke; a Journal of Cerebral Circulation·D C SteffensG L Burke
Jan 5, 2000·The American Journal of Psychiatry·I C WrightE T Bullmore
Apr 19, 2000·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·B F PenningtonJ C DeFries
Aug 17, 2000·The New England Journal of Medicine·S Y BookheimerG W Small
Jan 11, 2000·Nucleic Acids Research·S T SherryK Sirotkin
Feb 24, 2001·Behavior Genetics·D PosthumaD Boomsma
Apr 21, 2001·Biometrics·B Devlin, K Roeder
Sep 5, 2001·Cerebral Cortex·W F BaaréR S Kahn
Oct 16, 2001·Nature Genetics·J P IoannidisD G Contopoulos-Ioannidis
Nov 6, 2001·Nature Neuroscience·P M ThompsonA W Toga
Jan 31, 2002·Nature Neuroscience·Daniëlle PosthumaDorret I Boomsma
Oct 19, 2002·Biological Psychology·David M EvansN G Martin
Oct 31, 2002·Statistics in Medicine·Valentin RoussonBurkhardt Seifert
Apr 2, 2003·The American Journal of Psychiatry·Irving I Gottesman, Todd D Gould
Apr 12, 2003·Stroke; a Journal of Cerebral Circulation·Sarah E VermeerUNKNOWN Rotterdam Scan Study
May 2, 2003·Twin Research : the Official Journal of the International Society for Twin Studies·Daniëlle PosthumaEco J C De Geus
Jun 6, 2003·Current Opinion in Genetics & Development·Ken Inoue, James R Lupski
Nov 6, 2003·Statistical Methods in Medical Research·Thomas Nichols, Satoru Hayasaka
Nov 20, 2003·Twin Research : the Official Journal of the International Society for Twin Studies·Karri SilventoinenJaakko Kaprio
Nov 25, 2003·Psychological Science·Eric TurkheimerIrving I Gottesman
Jan 14, 2004·Hypertension·Stephen T TurnerMariza de Andrade
Mar 31, 2004·Nature Genetics·Jonathan MarchiniPeter Donnelly
May 15, 2004·Stroke; a Journal of Cerebral Circulation·Larry D AtwoodCharles DeCarli
Oct 30, 2004·The American Journal of Psychiatry·Poul Videbech, Barbara Ravnkilde
Nov 13, 2004·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Lukas PezawasDaniel R Weinberger
Feb 18, 2005·Nature Reviews. Genetics·Joel N Hirschhorn, Mark J Daly
Mar 12, 2005·Science·Robert J KleinJosephine Hoh
Jul 26, 2005·Topics in Magnetic Resonance Imaging : TMRI·Lenore J Launer
Jul 26, 2005·Nature Genetics·Catarina D CampbellJoel N Hirschhorn
Oct 29, 2005·Nature·UNKNOWN International HapMap Consortium
Apr 19, 2006·Nature Reviews. Genetics·Nan M Laird, Christoph Lange
Oct 6, 2006·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Hilleke E Hulshoff PolRené S Kahn
Nov 1, 2006·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines·Gregory L WallaceJay N Giedd
Mar 10, 2007·Biological Psychiatry·Patrick F Sullivan
Apr 18, 2007·Human Brain Mapping·Jay N GieddMichael C Neale

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 2, 2015·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·William D HopkinsElitaveta M Latash
Jul 28, 2016·PLoS Genetics·Qian PengChi-Hua Chen
Feb 28, 2017·Human Brain Mapping·Nathan A GillespieWilliam S Kremen
Jan 24, 2018·The European Journal of Neuroscience·Christopher R Madan, Elizabeth A Kensinger
Aug 22, 2017·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Christopher R Madan
Jul 10, 2018·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·Marieke KleinBarbara Franke
Jul 20, 2018·International Journal of Obesity : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity·Isabel García-GarcíaAlain Dagher
Feb 22, 2021·Experimental Brain Research·Peka ChristovaApostolos P Georgopoulos

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Trends in Genetics : TIG
Michael N Weedon, Timothy M Frayling
The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry
Thomas G SchulzeFrancis J McMahon
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved