Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026
06:52
Using Cholesky Decomposition to Explore Individual Differences in Longitudinal Relations between Reading Skills
Published on: September 17, 2019
6.8K
Genome-Wide Polygenic Scores Predict Reading Performance Throughout the School Years
Saskia Selzam1, Philip S Dale2, Richard K Wagner3
1King's College London.
Scientific Studies of Reading : the Official Journal of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading
|July 15, 2017
Summary
Genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) can predict educational strengths. An education-focused GPS explained reading performance differences, showing potential for personalized educational insights.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Genetics
- Educational Psychology
- Genomics
Background:
- Genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) are emerging tools for predicting individual traits.
- Educational attainment is a complex trait influenced by genetic and environmental factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive power of an education-focused GPS (EduYears GPS) on reading performance across different developmental stages.
- To determine if EduYears GPS remains significant after controlling for cognitive ability and socioeconomic status.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a UK sample of 5,825 unrelated individuals.
- Assessed reading performance at ages 7, 12, and 14 using UK National Curriculum assessments and specific reading tests.
- Calculated and applied an EduYears GPS to predict reading performance.
Main Results:
- The EduYears GPS accounted for up to 5% of the variance in reading performance at age 14.
- Predictions remained statistically significant even when controlling for general cognitive ability and family socioeconomic status.
- A notable difference in reading ability, equivalent to approximately two school years, was observed between individuals in the lowest and highest 12.5% of the EduYears GPS distribution.
Conclusions:
- Polygenic scores, specifically the EduYears GPS, demonstrate significant predictive utility for reading performance.
- These findings suggest that polygenic scores could be valuable tools for identifying educational strengths and weaknesses.
- The potential application of polygenic scores in personalized education is highlighted.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Polygenic Traits
69.5K
When more than one gene is responsible for a given phenotype, the trait is considered polygenic. Human height is a polygenic trait. Studies have uncovered hundreds of loci that influence height, and there are believed to be many more. Due to the high number of genes involved, as well as environmental and nutritional factors, height varies significantly within a given population. The distribution of height forms a bell-shaped curve, with relatively few individuals in the population at the...
69.5K
02:46Genetic Screens
5.8K
Genetic screens are tools used to identify genes and mutations responsible for phenotypes of interest. Genetic screens help identify individuals or a group of people at risk of developing genetic diseases and help them with early intervention, targeted therapy, and reproductive options.
Forward genetic screens
Forward or “classical” genetic screens involve creating random mutations in an organism’s DNA using radiation, mutagens, or insertion of additional bases, which...
Forward genetic screens
Forward or “classical” genetic screens involve creating random mutations in an organism’s DNA using radiation, mutagens, or insertion of additional bases, which...
5.8K
01:11Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
15.9K
Genome-wide association studies or GWAS are used to identify whether common SNPs are associated with certain diseases. Suppose specific SNPs are more frequently observed in individuals with a particular disease than those without the disease. In that case, those SNPs are said to be associated with the disease. Chi-square analysis is performed to check the probability of the allele likely to be associated with the disease.
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
15.9K
01:30Biological Influences on Intelligence
615
Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
615
01:30Information Processing Approach
654
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
654
01:20Gene-Environment Interactions
1.3K
Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
1.3K