Projects per year
Abstract
We identify common genetic variants associated with cognitive performance using a two-stage approach, which we call the proxyphenotype method. First, we conduct a genome-wide association study of educational attainment in a large sample (n = 106,736), which produces a set of 69 education-associated SNPs. Second, using independent samples (n = 24,189), we measure the association of these education-associated SNPs with cognitive performance. Three SNPs (rs1487441, rs7923609, and rs2721173) are significantly associated with cognitive performance after correction for multiple hypothesis testing. In an independent sample of older Americans (n = 8,652), we also show that a polygenic score derived from the education-associated SNPs is associated with memory and absence of dementia. Convergent evidence from a set of bioinformatics analyses implicates four specific genes (KNCMA1, NRXN1, POU2F3, and SCRT). All of these genes are associated with a particular neurotransmitter pathway involved in synaptic plasticity, the main cellular mechanism for learning and memory.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 13790-13794 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
Volume | 111 |
Issue number | 38 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 23 Sept 2014 |
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Common genetic variants associated with cognitive performance identified using the proxy-phenotype method'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 3 Finished
-
MRC UoB UNITE Unit - programme 3
Timpson, N. J. (Principal Investigator) & Timpson, N. J. (Principal Investigator)
1/06/13 → 31/03/18
Project: Research
-
MRC UoB UNITE Unit - Programme 1
Davey Smith, G. (Principal Investigator)
1/06/13 → 31/03/18
Project: Research
-
Profiles
-
Professor George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit
- Bristol Medical School (PHS) - Professor of Clinical Epidemiology
Person: Academic , Member, Group lead