Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2025
06:59
A Pipeline using Bilateral In Utero Electroporation to Interrogate Genetic Influences on Rodent Behavior
Published on: May 21, 2020
4.2K
Polygenic Scores for Plasticity: A New Tool for Studying Gene-Environment Interplay
Rebecca Johnson1, Ramina Sotoudeh2, Dalton Conley3
1McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
Demography
|May 13, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed variance polygenic scores (vPGSs) to better study gene-environment interactions. These new scores capture genetic influences on outcome variability, offering a novel tool for population science research.
Area of Science:
- Population science
- Genetics
- Sociology
Background:
- Human outcomes result from genetic and environmental factors.
- Current gene × environment (G×E) research uses polygenic scores (PGSs) that measure genetic influence on outcome levels, not variability.
- A more nuanced genetic tool is needed to understand gene-environment interplay.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop and validate a new genetic summary measure, variance polygenic scores (vPGSs), for G×E research.
- vPGSs are designed to capture genetic contributions to outcome plasticity.
- Assess the utility of vPGSs in analyzing real-world data.
Main Methods:
- Compared four methods for constructing PGSs for plasticity using UK Biobank and Health and Retirement Study data.
- Identified PGSs that effectively capture genetic contributions to plasticity.
- Analyzed the heterogeneous effects of a UK education reform on health and educational attainment using these vPGSs.
Main Results:
- Established methods for identifying genetic variants influencing outcome variability were insufficient for G×E research.
- Identified specific vPGSs that distinctly capture genetic contributions to plasticity.
- Demonstrated the application of vPGSs in analyzing the impact of an education reform on diverse outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Variance polygenic scores (vPGSs) represent a significant advancement for G×E research.
- vPGSs provide a valuable new tool for population scientists studying the interplay of genetics and environment.
- This approach enhances the analysis of population-based studies and the release of PGSs to researchers.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:20Gene-Environment Interactions
597
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...
597
02:27Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
6.7K
Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
6.7K
01:18Polygenic Traits
66.7K
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...
66.7K
01:28Human Genetics
750
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.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
750
01:30Biological Influences on Intelligence
232
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...
232
00:58Plasticity
2.5K
Plasticity is the property where an object loses its elasticity and undergoes irreversible deformation, even after the deformation forces are eliminated. If a material deforms irreversibly without increasing stress or load, then this is called ideal plasticity. For example, when a force is applied to an aluminum rod, it changes its shape, but it does not return to its original shape once the force is removed. Plastic deformation or ductility is thus a permanent deformation or change in the...
2.5K