Multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies
Abstract Several abilities outside literacy proper are associated with reading and spelling, both phenotypically and genetically, though our knowledge of multivariate genomic covariance structures is incomplete. Here, we introduce structural models describing genetic and residual influences between...
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doaj-bc83a17359d54b20a05270403716da7e2021-08-22T11:28:16ZengNature Publishing Groupnpj Science of Learning2056-79362021-08-016111210.1038/s41539-021-00101-yMultivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologiesChin Yang Shapland0Ellen Verhoef1George Davey Smith2Simon E. Fisher3Brad Verhulst4Philip S. Dale5Beate St Pourcain6MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of BristolLanguage and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of BristolLanguage and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsTexas A&M UniversitySpeech & Hearing Sciences, University of New MexicoMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of BristolAbstract Several abilities outside literacy proper are associated with reading and spelling, both phenotypically and genetically, though our knowledge of multivariate genomic covariance structures is incomplete. Here, we introduce structural models describing genetic and residual influences between traits to study multivariate links across measures of literacy, phonological awareness, oral language, and phonological working memory (PWM) in unrelated UK youth (8–13 years, N = 6453). We find that all phenotypes share a large proportion of underlying genetic variation, although especially oral language and PWM reveal substantial differences in their genetic variance composition with substantial trait-specific genetic influences. Multivariate genetic and residual trait covariance showed concordant patterns, except for marked differences between oral language and literacy/phonological awareness, where strong genetic links contrasted near-zero residual overlap. These findings suggest differences in etiological mechanisms, acting beyond a pleiotropic set of genetic variants, and implicate variation in trait modifiability even among phenotypes that have high genetic correlations.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-021-00101-y |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Chin Yang Shapland Ellen Verhoef George Davey Smith Simon E. Fisher Brad Verhulst Philip S. Dale Beate St Pourcain |
spellingShingle |
Chin Yang Shapland Ellen Verhoef George Davey Smith Simon E. Fisher Brad Verhulst Philip S. Dale Beate St Pourcain Multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies npj Science of Learning |
author_facet |
Chin Yang Shapland Ellen Verhoef George Davey Smith Simon E. Fisher Brad Verhulst Philip S. Dale Beate St Pourcain |
author_sort |
Chin Yang Shapland |
title |
Multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies |
title_short |
Multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies |
title_full |
Multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies |
title_fullStr |
Multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies |
title_full_unstemmed |
Multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies |
title_sort |
multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies |
publisher |
Nature Publishing Group |
series |
npj Science of Learning |
issn |
2056-7936 |
publishDate |
2021-08-01 |
description |
Abstract Several abilities outside literacy proper are associated with reading and spelling, both phenotypically and genetically, though our knowledge of multivariate genomic covariance structures is incomplete. Here, we introduce structural models describing genetic and residual influences between traits to study multivariate links across measures of literacy, phonological awareness, oral language, and phonological working memory (PWM) in unrelated UK youth (8–13 years, N = 6453). We find that all phenotypes share a large proportion of underlying genetic variation, although especially oral language and PWM reveal substantial differences in their genetic variance composition with substantial trait-specific genetic influences. Multivariate genetic and residual trait covariance showed concordant patterns, except for marked differences between oral language and literacy/phonological awareness, where strong genetic links contrasted near-zero residual overlap. These findings suggest differences in etiological mechanisms, acting beyond a pleiotropic set of genetic variants, and implicate variation in trait modifiability even among phenotypes that have high genetic correlations. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-021-00101-y |
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