Genetics of the human electroencephalogram (EEG) and event-related brain potentials (ERPs): a review

Abstract

Twin and family studies of normal variation in the human electroencephalogram (EEG) and event related potentials (ERPs) are reviewed. Most of these studies are characterized by small sample sizes. However, by summarizing these studies in one paper, we may be able to gain some insight into the genetic influences on individual differences in central nervous system functioning that may mediate genetically determined differences in behavior. It is clear that most EEG parameters are to a large extent genetically determined. The results for ERPs are based on a much smaller number of studies and suggest medium to large heritability.

Longitudinal study of genetic influences on ERP‐P3 during childhood

“…Speed of target and nontarget processing appeared to be influenced strongly by genetic effects. This contrasts with the results of two other large twin studies on P3 that did not find evidence for heritability of P3 latency in adults or adolescents (O'Connor et al, 1994;van Beijsterveldt, 1996). A reason for this discrepancy is provided by the study of Katsanis et al (1997).…”

“…No data were reported on nontarget amplitudes. Using the same visual oddball as this study, van Beijsterveldt (1996) found heritability to range from 42% to 60% in a large group of adolescent twins. In agreement with our finding in children, the individual variation in P3 amplitude to nontargets was mainly genetic in the adolescents and, there too, heritability of nontarget amplitude was higher than that of the targets.…”

“…To make our analyses comparable to previous genetic analyses in twins (e.g., O'Connor et al, 1994;van Beijsterveldt, 1996), a series of univariate models were fitted to these data. In these models, error variance was part of the unique environmental variance.…”

“…Genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in P3 amplitude and latency have been investigated in a small number of studies only (for a review, see van Beijsterveldt & Boomsma, 1994). Most studies used a twin design to estimate heritability.…”

“…However, that study included only 10 families, so no distinction could be made between common environmental and genetic influences. A study of P3 amplitudes and latencies in adolescent twins using a visual oddball task was conducted in our laboratory (van Beijsterveldt, 1996). In that study, 213 adolescent twin pairs participated.…”