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A genomewide linkage screen for relative hand skill in sibling pairs
Clyde Francks1, Simon E Fisher, I Laurence MacPhie
1Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
American Journal of Human Genetics
|January 5, 2002
Summary
This study explored genetic links to relative hand skill in reading-disabled individuals. A significant quantitative trait locus (QTL) was identified on chromosome 2p11.2-12, suggesting a genetic component to handedness.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
- Human Behavior
Background:
- Handedness and its genetic underpinnings are not fully understood.
- Previous research has not conducted genomewide scans for handedness-related traits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform the first genomewide quantitative trait locus (QTL) linkage analysis for relative hand skill.
- To investigate the genetic basis of relative hand skill in reading-disabled individuals.
Main Methods:
- Genomewide linkage analysis was conducted on 195 reading-disabled sibling pairs.
- Relative hand skill was measured using the PegQ test.
- QTL analysis was performed on chromosome 2p11.2-12 in an independent sample.
Main Results:
- A significant QTL for PegQ was identified on chromosome 2p11.2-12 (empirical P=.00007).
- A suggestive QTL was found on chromosome 17p11-q23 (empirical P=.002).
- Replication analysis for the 2p11.2-12 locus in an independent sample did not reach statistical significance (empirical P=.13).
Conclusions:
- Relative hand skill is likely a complex, multifactorial trait.
- Despite complexity, QTL-based gene mapping is a viable approach for studying relative hand skill.
- The identified QTLs warrant further investigation into the genetic architecture of handedness.