Generalist Genes: Genetic Links Between Brain, Mind, and Education

Plomin, Robert; Kovas, Yulia; Haworth, Claire M. A.

doi:10.1111/j.1751-228x.2007.00002.x

Cited by 61 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…There is extensive support for genetic overlap across different domains of school achievement; high genetic correlations are invariably detected regardless of age, country, and subject (e.g. Davis et al 2009;Harlaar et al 2012;Hart et al 2010;Knopik and DeFries 1999;Kovas et al 2005;Oliver et al 2007;Plomin et al 2007). Evidence for the specificity of the unique environment is sparse.…”

Section: Generalist Genesmentioning

confidence: 96%

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Literacy and Numeracy Performance in Australian School Children in Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9

Grasby

Coventry²,

Byrne

et al. 2016

Behav Genet

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We examined the extent to which genes and the environment contributed to variation in and covariation among reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation, writing, and numeracy in Australian school children in Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9. Heritability was generally high: reading .58-.71 (excepting Grade 5 girls), spelling .68-.78; grammar and punctuation .52-.66, writing .39-.52, and numeracy .39-.79. Boys' performance varied more than girls in spelling and numeracy, and the common environment was a greater influence in girls than boys in Grade 3 numeracy and Grade 5 reading. Independent pathway models showed similar genetic and environmental structures at each grade with approximately one third to one half of the variation in each domain due to genes that influenced all domains. The covariation among the domains was largely mediated by genes. Results suggest substantial uniformity in the environmental factors influencing these academic domains.

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Section: Generalist Genesmentioning

confidence: 96%

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Literacy and Numeracy Performance in Australian School Children in Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9

Grasby

Coventry²,

Byrne

et al. 2016

Behav Genet

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“…Genetic studies suggest that these disorders are highly heritable but also genetically complex (Paracchini et al 2007), with multiple genes influencing variance, and, Edited by Elena Grigorenko and Brett Miller. likely, some genes with generalist effects influencing a broad range of cognitive ability (Kovas and Plomin 2006)-corresponding to the genetic basis of what Spearman termed g. These studies also show a considerable specificity of gene effects, restricted to particular components of cognition in language and dyslexia (Bates et al 2007a). Importantly for theories of neurodevelopmental variation, the same genes appear to account for both normal variation and the majority of disorder (Bates et al 2007b, c, d;Plomin et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Genetic Variance in a Component of the Language Acquisition Device: ROBO1 Polymorphisms Associated with Phonological Buffer Deficits

et al. 2010

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The region containing ROBO1 (Chromosome 3p12.3) has been implicated as a susceptibility gene for reading disorder and language deficit by translocation and linkage data. No association studies have yet been reported supporting any candidate gene. Here we report the first association of this gene with language deficits, specifically with phonological buffer deficits (a phenotype implicated in language acquisition, Specific Language Impairment and Speech Sound Disorder) and dyslexia (reading and spelling ability traits) in an unselected sample of adolescent twins and their siblings. Family-based analyses were performed on 144 tag SNPs in ROBO1, typed in 538 families with up to five offspring and tested for association with a developmental marker of language impairment (phonological buffer capacity, assessed using non word repetition). A reading and spelling ability measure--based on validated measures of lexical processing (irregular word) and grapheme-phoneme decoding (pseudo word)--and measures of short-term and working memory were also analysed. Significant association for phonological buffer capacity was observed for 21 of 144 SNPs tested, peaking at 8.70 × 10(-05) and 9.30 × 10(-05) for SNPs rs6803202 and rs4535189 respectively for nonword repetition, values that survive correction for multiple testing. Twenty-two SNPs showed significant associations for verbal storage (forward digit span)--a trait linked to phonological span. By contrast, just 5 SNPs reached nominal significance for working-memory, not surviving correction, and, importantly, only one SNP in the 144 tested reached nominal significance (0.04) for association with reading and spelling ability. These results provide strong support for ROBO1 as a gene involved in a core trait underpinning language acquisition, with a specific function in supporting a short-term buffer for arbitrary phonological strings. These effects of ROBO1 appear to be unrelated to brain mechanisms underpinning reading ability, at least by adolescence. While replication will be critical, the present results strongly support ROBO1 as the first gene discovered to be associated with language deficits affecting normal variation in language ability. Its functional role in neuronal migration underlying bilateral symmetry and lateralization of neuronal function further suggests a role in the evolution of human language ability.

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“…Research highlights the crucial and dynamic role of environmental differences in performance outcomes (Shenk, 2010). Despite this, Plomin et al (2007) found that more than 90% of teachers and parents believe genetic influences to be more than or at least as important as environmental factors. Such beliefs have their origins in a long history of psychometrics in the UK (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

'The Blue Table Means You Don't Have a Clue': the persistence of fixed-ability thinking and practices in primary mathematics in English schools

Marks¹

2013

forum

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The use of structured ability grouping is increasing in English primary schools and is regularly seen in primary mathematics classrooms. Ability is a normalised discourse with beliefs that some individuals are 'born to do maths' permeating society and infiltrating school practices. In this paper observation and interview data illustrate the persistence of fixed-ability thinking, even in situations where explicit ability-grouping practices are not used. The data analysis suggests a mismatch between mixed-ability practices and fixed-ability thinking, and the paper argues that change will be difficult.

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Generalist Genes: Genetic Links Between Brain, Mind, and Education

Cited by 61 publications

References 24 publications

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Literacy and Numeracy Performance in Australian School Children in Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Literacy and Numeracy Performance in Australian School Children in Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9

Genetic Variance in a Component of the Language Acquisition Device: ROBO1 Polymorphisms Associated with Phonological Buffer Deficits

'The Blue Table Means You Don't Have a Clue': the persistence of fixed-ability thinking and practices in primary mathematics in English schools

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