Inheritance of longevity evinces no secular trend among members of six New England families born 1650-1874

American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council
Peter J Mayer

Abstract

This study investigated the historical trend in resemblance between first-degree relatives for age at death. Data from genealogies of six New England families (N = 13,656) were divided into nine 25 year birth cohorts, 1650-1874, to test the hypothesis that familial influence on human longevity has changed during the past 300 years. Heritability (h(2) ) for longevity demonstrated no historical trend, whether calculated by regression of offspring's longevity on paternal, maternal, or mid-parental longevity or by intraclass correlations (t) among sibships. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (C.I.) for h(2) (additive genetic variance) were in the range 0.10-0.33 for parent-offspring regressions and 0.16-0.22 based on mean of sibship regressed on mean of parents. Based on sibship t, the 95% C.I. for the upper limit to h(2) (which includes variance contributions caused by dominance interactions and common developmental environment as well as additive genetic effects) was 0.33-0.41. In this socially elite sample, the statistical contribution of first-degree relatives to age at death has varied within a historically consistent range over the past 300 years, directly implying a persistent genetic influence on longevity. The magnit...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 15, 2001·American Journal of Medical Genetics·B D MitchellA R Shuldiner
Jan 1, 1992·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Douglas E Crews, Janelle E Smith Ozeran
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Sep 6, 2019·G3 : Genes - Genomes - Genetics·Kevin M WrightJ Graham Ruby
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Jun 19, 2004·Annals of Human Biology·Ariane Kemkes-Grottenthaler
Nov 12, 2002·Mechanisms of Ageing and Development·Lisa J MartinAnthony G Comuzzie
Nov 12, 2002·Clinics in Geriatric Medicine·James L Kirkland

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