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Related Concept Videos

Polygenic Traits01:18

Polygenic Traits

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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...
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Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...
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Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
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The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Large-Scale Multi-Omics Genome-Wide Association Studies Mo-GWAS: Guidelines for Sample Preparation and Normalization
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A selection pressure landscape for 870 human polygenic traits.

Weichen Song1,2, Yueqi Shi3,4, Weidi Wang1,2

  • 1Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Nature Human Behaviour
|November 16, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Most human polygenic traits show evidence of natural selection, particularly in the last 3,000 years. Pigmentation, body measurements, and nutrition-related traits displayed significant selection signals across evolutionary timescales.

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Area of Science:

  • Human Evolution
  • Population Genetics
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Understanding natural selection on complex traits is crucial for human evolution and disease mechanisms.
  • Polygenic traits are influenced by multiple genes and are key to studying evolutionary adaptations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify natural selection signals on 870 polygenic traits in European ancestry across different historical periods.
  • To investigate the temporal dynamics and characteristics of selection on human traits.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized genome-wide summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
  • Analyzed selection signals for 870 polygenic traits across four distinct periods of human history.
  • Focused analysis on individuals of European ancestry.

Main Results:

  • 88% of analyzed polygenic traits exhibited evidence of polygenic change within the last 2,000-3,000 years.
  • Recent selection signals were correlated with ancient selection patterns for the same traits.
  • Strong selection signals were observed for traits related to pigmentation, body measurements, and nutritional intake.

Conclusions:

  • Human polygenic traits have undergone significant selection, especially in recent evolutionary history.
  • Selection patterns are consistent across different time scales for specific trait categories.
  • Findings provide a basis for future population and medical genetic research, acknowledging data limitations (European ancestry, GWAS data).