Thursday 11 April 2019

Genome analysis shows the combined effect of many genes on cognitive traits

Individual differences in cognitive abilities in children and adolescents are partly reflected in variations in their DNA sequence, according to a study published in Molecular Psychiatry. These tiny differences in the human genome can be used together to create so-called polygenic scores; the sum of a number of genetic variants an individual carries reflecting the genetic predisposition to a particular trait. This includes differences in educational achievement (how well pupils do in English, maths, and science), how many years of education they complete, and their IQ at age 16.

* This article was originally published here