Heritability of head size in Dutch and Australian twin families at ages 0–50 years

D.J.A. Smit; M. Luciano; M. Bartels; C.E.M. van Beijsterveldt; M.J. Wright; N. Hansell; H.G. Brunner; G.F. Estourgie-van Burk; E.J.C. de Geus; N.G. Martin; D.I. Boomsma

doi:10.1375/twin.13.4.370

Heritability of head size in Dutch and Australian twin families at ages 0–50 years

D.J.A. Smit, M. Luciano, M. Bartels, C.E.M. van Beijsterveldt, M.J. Wright, N. Hansell, H.G. Brunner, G.F. Estourgie-van Burk, E.J.C. de Geus, N.G. Martin, D.I. Boomsma

Biological Psychology

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

We assessed the heritability of head circumference, an approximation of brain size, in twin-sib families of different ages. Data from the youngest participants were collected a few weeks after birth and from the oldest participants around age 50 years. In nearly all age groups the largest part of the variation in head circumference was explained by genetic differences. Heritability estimates were 90% in young infants (4 to 5 months), 85-88% in early childhood, 83-87% in adolescence, 75% in young and mid adulthood. In infants younger than 3 months, heritability was very low or absent. Quantitative sex differences in heritability were observed in 15- and 18-year-olds, but there was no evidence for qualitative sex differences, that is, the same genes were expressed in both males and females. Longitudinal analysis of the data between 5, 7, and 18 years of age showed high genetic stability (.78 > R

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	370-380
Journal	Twin Research and Human Genetics
Volume	13
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1375/twin.13.4.370
Publication status	Published - 2010

Cohort Studies

Netherlands Twin Register (NTR)

Access to Document

10.1375/twin.13.4.370

Persistent URL (handle)

Copy link address

Cite this

Smit, D. J. A., Luciano, M., Bartels, M., van Beijsterveldt, C. E. M., Wright, M. J., Hansell, N., Brunner, H. G., Estourgie-van Burk, G. F., de Geus, E. J. C., Martin, N. G., & Boomsma, D. I. (2010). Heritability of head size in Dutch and Australian twin families at ages 0–50 years. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 13(4), 370-380. https://doi.org/10.1375/twin.13.4.370

@article{bbf08eb648064995b872bc4566edd659,

title = "Heritability of head size in Dutch and Australian twin families at ages 0–50 years",

abstract = "We assessed the heritability of head circumference, an approximation of brain size, in twin-sib families of different ages. Data from the youngest participants were collected a few weeks after birth and from the oldest participants around age 50 years. In nearly all age groups the largest part of the variation in head circumference was explained by genetic differences. Heritability estimates were 90% in young infants (4 to 5 months), 85-88% in early childhood, 83-87% in adolescence, 75% in young and mid adulthood. In infants younger than 3 months, heritability was very low or absent. Quantitative sex differences in heritability were observed in 15- and 18-year-olds, but there was no evidence for qualitative sex differences, that is, the same genes were expressed in both males and females. Longitudinal analysis of the data between 5, 7, and 18 years of age showed high genetic stability (.78 > R",

author = "D.J.A. Smit and M. Luciano and M. Bartels and {van Beijsterveldt}, C.E.M. and M.J. Wright and N. Hansell and H.G. Brunner and {Estourgie-van Burk}, G.F. and {de Geus}, E.J.C. and N.G. Martin and D.I. Boomsma",

year = "2010",

doi = "10.1375/twin.13.4.370",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

pages = "370--380",

journal = "Twin Research and Human Genetics",

issn = "1832-4274",

publisher = "Australian Academic Press",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Heritability of head size in Dutch and Australian twin families at ages 0–50 years

AU - Smit, D.J.A.

AU - Luciano, M.

AU - Bartels, M.

AU - van Beijsterveldt, C.E.M.

AU - Wright, M.J.

AU - Hansell, N.

AU - Brunner, H.G.

AU - Estourgie-van Burk, G.F.

AU - de Geus, E.J.C.

AU - Martin, N.G.

AU - Boomsma, D.I.

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - We assessed the heritability of head circumference, an approximation of brain size, in twin-sib families of different ages. Data from the youngest participants were collected a few weeks after birth and from the oldest participants around age 50 years. In nearly all age groups the largest part of the variation in head circumference was explained by genetic differences. Heritability estimates were 90% in young infants (4 to 5 months), 85-88% in early childhood, 83-87% in adolescence, 75% in young and mid adulthood. In infants younger than 3 months, heritability was very low or absent. Quantitative sex differences in heritability were observed in 15- and 18-year-olds, but there was no evidence for qualitative sex differences, that is, the same genes were expressed in both males and females. Longitudinal analysis of the data between 5, 7, and 18 years of age showed high genetic stability (.78 > R

AB - We assessed the heritability of head circumference, an approximation of brain size, in twin-sib families of different ages. Data from the youngest participants were collected a few weeks after birth and from the oldest participants around age 50 years. In nearly all age groups the largest part of the variation in head circumference was explained by genetic differences. Heritability estimates were 90% in young infants (4 to 5 months), 85-88% in early childhood, 83-87% in adolescence, 75% in young and mid adulthood. In infants younger than 3 months, heritability was very low or absent. Quantitative sex differences in heritability were observed in 15- and 18-year-olds, but there was no evidence for qualitative sex differences, that is, the same genes were expressed in both males and females. Longitudinal analysis of the data between 5, 7, and 18 years of age showed high genetic stability (.78 > R

U2 - 10.1375/twin.13.4.370

DO - 10.1375/twin.13.4.370

M3 - Article

SN - 1832-4274

VL - 13

SP - 370

EP - 380

JO - Twin Research and Human Genetics

JF - Twin Research and Human Genetics

IS - 4

ER -

Heritability of head size in Dutch and Australian twin families at ages 0–50 years

Abstract

Cohort Studies

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Fingerprint

Cite this