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Dokuru DR, Horwitz TB, Freis SM, Stallings MC, Ehringer MA. South Asia: The Missing Diverse in Diversity. Behav Genet 2024; 54:51-62. [PMID: 37917228 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10161-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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
South Asia, making up around 25% of the world's population, encompasses a wide range of individuals with tremendous genetic and environmental diversity. This region, which spans eight countries, is home to over 4500 anthropologically defined groups that speak numerous languages and have an array of religious beliefs and cultures, making it one of the most diverse places in the world. Much of the region's rich genetic diversity and structure is the result of a complex combination of population history, migration patterns, and endogamous practices. Despite the overwhelming size and diversity, South Asians have often been underrepresented in genetic research, making up less than 2% of the participants in genetic studies. This has led to a lack of population specific understanding of genetic disease risks. We aim to raise awareness about underlying genetic diversity in this ancestry group, call attention to the lack of representation of the group, and to highlight strategies for future studies in South Asians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepika R Dokuru
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30 St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA.
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Tanya B Horwitz
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30 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 30 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 30 St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Marissa A Ehringer
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30 St, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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Paulich KN, Horwitz TB, Freis SM, Romero Villela PN, Aki S, Stallings MC, Ehringer MA. Reinvigoration of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics: Student-driven Progress. Behav Genet 2024; 54:24-33. [PMID: 37603171 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10149-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Extremist far-right ideologies, including scientifically inaccurate beliefs about race, are on the rise (Mieriņa and Koroļeva 2015; Youngblood 2020); individuals perpetuating such ideologies occasionally cite genetics research, including behavioral genetics research. This highlights the need for behavioral geneticists to actively confront extremist ideology and promote anti-racism. We emphasize the need for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committees within behavioral genetics institutions. DEI committees can lead to: greater awareness of ways in which behavioral genetics has been misused (historically and currently) to harm minoritized communities, increased discussions on conducting ethical behavioral genetics research, and increased collaboration for conducting more diverse behavioral genetics research. We discuss the activities and goals of the student-driven DEI committee at the Institute for Behavior Genetics (IBG). At the same time, we acknowledge we have a long way to go, both as a committee and as a field. Our committee is still in its early stages; we discuss challenges to increasing DEI in the field and present future goals for both IBG and the behavioral genetics community as we explore the process of implementing DEI work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie N Paulich
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Tanya B Horwitz
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Samantha M Freis
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Pamela N Romero Villela
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Sidney Aki
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Integrated Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Michael C Stallings
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Marissa A Ehringer
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Integrated Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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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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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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Alexander JD, Freis SM, Zellers SM, Corley R, Ledbetter A, Schneider RK, Phelan C, Subramonyam H, Frieser M, Rea-Sandin G, Stocker ME, Vernier H, Jiang M, Luo Y, Zhao Q, Rhea SA, Hewitt J, Luciana M, McGue M, Wilson S, Resnick P, Friedman NP, Vrieze SI. Evaluating longitudinal relationships between parental monitoring and substance use in a multi-year, intensive longitudinal study of 670 adolescent twins. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1149079. [PMID: 37252134 PMCID: PMC10213319 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1149079] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Parental monitoring is a key intervention target for adolescent substance use, however this practice is largely supported by causally uninformative cross-sectional or sparse-longitudinal observational research designs. Methods We therefore evaluated relationships between adolescent substance use (assessed weekly) and parental monitoring (assessed every two months) in 670 adolescent twins for two years. This allowed us to assess how individual-level parental monitoring and substance use trajectories were related and, via the twin design, to quantify genetic and environmental contributions to these relationships. Furthermore, we attempted to devise additional measures of parental monitoring by collecting quasi-continuous GPS locations and calculating a) time spent at home between midnight and 5am and b) time spent at school between 8am-3pm. Results ACE-decomposed latent growth models found alcohol and cannabis use increased with age while parental monitoring, time at home, and time at school decreased. Baseline alcohol and cannabis use were correlated (r = .65) and associated with baseline parental monitoring (r = -.24 to -.29) but not with baseline GPS measures (r = -.06 to -.16). Longitudinally, changes in substance use and parental monitoring were not significantly correlated. Geospatial measures were largely unrelated to parental monitoring, though changes in cannabis use and time at home were highly correlated (r = -.53 to -.90), with genetic correlations suggesting their relationship was substantially genetically mediated. Due to power constraints, ACE estimates and biometric correlations were imprecisely estimated. Most of the substance use and parental monitoring phenotypes were substantially heritable, but genetic correlations between them were not significantly different from 0. Discussion Overall, we found developmental changes in each phenotype, baseline correlations between substance use and parental monitoring, co-occurring changes and mutual genetic influences for time at home and cannabis use, and substantial genetic influences on many substance use and parental monitoring phenotypes. However, our geospatial variables were mostly unrelated to parental monitoring, suggesting they poorly measured this construct. Furthermore, though we did not detect evidence of genetic confounding, changes in parental monitoring and substance use were not significantly correlated, suggesting that, at least in community samples of mid-to-late adolescents, the two may not be causally related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan D. Alexander
- Psychology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Samantha M. Freis
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Stephanie M. Zellers
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Robin Corley
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Amy Ledbetter
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Rachel K. Schneider
- Psychology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Chanda Phelan
- School of Information, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | | | - Maia Frieser
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Gianna Rea-Sandin
- Psychology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Michelle E. Stocker
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Helen Vernier
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Ming Jiang
- Department of Computer Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Yan Luo
- Department of Computer Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Computer Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sally Ann Rhea
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - John Hewitt
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Monica Luciana
- Psychology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Matt McGue
- Psychology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sylia Wilson
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Paul Resnick
- School of Information, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Naomi P. Friedman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Scott I. Vrieze
- Psychology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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Rader L, Freis SM, Friedman NP. Associations Between Adolescent Pain and Psychopathology in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Behav Genet 2023; 53:232-248. [PMID: 37036551 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10138-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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Pain and psychopathology co-occur in adolescence, but the directionality and etiology of these associations are unclear. Using the pain questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (n = 10,414 children [770 twin pairs] aged 12-13), we estimated longitudinal, co-twin control, and twin models to evaluate the nature of these associations. In two-wave cross-lag panel models, there were small cross-lag effects that suggested bidirectional associations. However, the co-twin control models suggested that most associations were familial. Pain at age 12 and 13 was mostly environmental (A = 0-12%, C = 15-30%, E = 70-73%) and the twin models suggested that associations with psychopathology were primarily due to shared environmental correlations. The exception was externalizing, which had a phenotypic prospective effect on pain, a significant within-family component, and a non-shared environmental correlation at age 12. Environmental risk factors may play a role in pain-psychopathology co-occurrence. Future studies can examine risk factors such as stressful life events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Rader
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Samantha M Freis
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Naomi P Friedman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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Freis SM, Morrison CL, Smolker HR, Banich MT, Kaiser RH, Hewitt JK, Friedman NP. Executive Functions and Impulsivity as Transdiagnostic Correlates of Psychopathology in Childhood: A Behavioral Genetic Analysis. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:863235. [PMID: 35431847 PMCID: PMC9012075 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.863235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive functions (EFs) and impulsivity are dimensions of self-regulation that are both related to psychopathology. However, self-report measures of impulsivity and laboratory EF tasks typically display small correlations, and existing research indicates that impulsivity and EFs may tap separate aspects of self-regulation that independently statistically predict psychopathology in adulthood. However, relationships between EFs, impulsivity, and psychopathology may be different in childhood compared to adulthood. Here, we examine whether these patterns hold in the baseline assessment of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) sample, a national sample of over 11,000 children (including 749 twin pairs) ages 9-10 years. We examine the phenotypic and genetic relationships among latent variables for different components of EFs and multiple facets of impulsivity. Additionally, we assess how EFs and impulsivity relate to composite measures and latent variables of psychopathology derived from parent report. EFs were weakly correlated with impulsivity, and the strength varied by impulsivity facet, emphasizing their separability. We did not identify significant genetic and environmental correlations between EFs and impulsivity. Moreover, controlling for their small relationships with each other, both EFs and some facets of impulsivity statistically predicted an Externalizing factor, attention problems, and social problems, and twin analyses suggested these relationships were genetic in origin. These findings indicate that EFs and impulsivity represent phenotypically and genetically separable aspects of self-regulation that are both transdiagnostic correlates of psychopathology in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Freis
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Claire L. Morrison
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Harry R. Smolker
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Marie T. Banich
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Roselinde H. Kaiser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Renee Crown Wellness Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - John K. Hewitt
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Naomi P. Friedman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
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Freis SM, Morrison CL, Lessem JM, Hewitt JK, Friedman NP. Genetic and environmental influences on executive functions and intelligence in middle childhood. Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13150. [PMID: 34288270 PMCID: PMC8639807 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Executive functions (EFs) and intelligence (IQ) are phenotypically correlated. In twin studies, latent variables for EFs and IQ display moderate to high heritability estimates; however, they show variable genetic correlations in twin studies spanning childhood to middle age. We analyzed data from over 11,000 children (9- to 10-year-olds, including 749 twin pairs) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study to examine the phenotypic and genetic relations between EFs and IQ in childhood. We identified two EF factors-Common EF and Updating-Specific-which were both related to IQ (rs = 0.64-0.81). Common EF and IQ were heritable (53%-67%), and their genetic correlation (rG = 0.86) was not significantly different than 1. These results suggest that EFs and IQ are phenotypically but not genetically separable in middle childhood, meaning that this phenotypic separability may be influenced by environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Freis
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Claire L Morrison
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Lessem
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - John K Hewitt
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Naomi P Friedman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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Harden KP, Engelhardt LE, Mann FD, Patterson MW, Grotzinger AD, Savicki SL, Thibodeaux ML, Freis SM, Tackett JL, Church JA, Tucker-Drob EM. Genetic Associations Between Executive Functions and a General Factor of Psychopathology. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:749-758. [PMID: 31102652 PMCID: PMC6986791 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [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: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Symptoms of psychopathology covary across diagnostic boundaries, and a family history of elevated symptoms for a single psychiatric disorder places an individual at heightened risk for a broad range of other psychiatric disorders. Both twin-based and genome-wide molecular methods indicate a strong genetic basis for the familial aggregation of psychiatric disease. This has led researchers to prioritize the search for highly heritable childhood risk factors for transdiagnostic psychopathology. Cognitive abilities that involve the selective control and regulation of attention, known as executive functions (EFs), are a promising set of risk factors. METHOD In a population-based sample of child and adolescent twins (n = 1,913, mean age = 13.1 years), we examined genetic overlap between both EFs and general intelligence (g) and a transdiagnostic dimension of vulnerability to psychopathology, comprising symptoms of anxiety, depression, neuroticism, aggression, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, hyperactivity, and inattention. Psychopathology symptoms in children were rated by children and their parents. RESULTS Latent factors representing general EF and g were highly heritable (h2 = 86%-92%), and genetic influences on both sets of cognitive abilities were robustly correlated with transdiagnostic genetic influences on psychopathology symptoms (genetic r values ranged from -0.20 to -0.38). CONCLUSION General EF and g robustly index genetic risk for transdiagnostic symptoms of psychopathology in childhood. Delineating the developmental and neurobiological mechanisms underlying observed associations between cognitive abilities and psychopathology remains a priority for ongoing research.
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