The correlation between reading and mathematics ability at age twelve has a substantial genetic component

CORVIN, AIDEN

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms5204

The correlation between reading and mathematics ability at age twelve has a substantial genetic component

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ncomms5204.pdf (257.63 KB)

Date

2014

Authors

CORVIN, AIDEN

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openAccess

Citation

Davis, O.S.P. Band, G. Pirinen, M. Haworth, C.M.A. Meaburn, E.L. Kovas, Y. Harlaar, N. Docherty, S.J. Hanscombe, K.B. Trzaskowski, M. Curtis, C.J.C. Strange, A. Freeman, C. Bellenguez, C. Su, Z. Pearson, R. Vukcevic, D. Langford, C. Deloukas, P. Hunt, S. Gray, E. Dronov, S. Potter, S.C. Tashakkori-Ghanbaria, A. Edkins, S. Bumpstead, S.J. Blackwell, J.M. Bramon, E. Brown, M.A. Casas, J.P. Corvin, A. Duncanson, A. Jankowski, J.A.Z. Markus, H.S. Mathew, C.G. Palmer, C.N.A. Rautanen, A. Sawcer, S.J. Trembath, R.C. Viswanathan, A.C. Wood, N.W. Barroso, I. Peltonen, L. Dale, P.S. Petrill, S.A. Schalkwyk, L.S. Craig, I.W. Lewis, C.M. Price, T.S. Donnelly, P. Plomin, R. Spencer, C.C.A., The correlation between reading and mathematics ability at age twelve has a substantial genetic component, Nature Communications, 5, 2014, 4204-

Abstract

Dissecting how genetic and environmental influences impact on learning is helpful for maximizing numeracy and literacy. Here we show, using twin and genome-wide analysis, that there is a substantial genetic component to children’s ability in reading and mathematics, and estimate that around one half of the observed correlation in these traits is due to shared genetic effects (so-called Generalist Genes). Thus, our results highlight the potential role of the learning environment in contributing to differences in a child’s cognitive abilities at age twelve