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Updated: Jul 25, 2025

Noninvasive, High-throughput Determination of Sleep Duration in Rodents
Published on: April 18, 2018
Multi-ancestry genome-wide analysis identifies shared genetic effects and common genetic variants for self-reported
B H Scammell1,2, C Tchio1,2,3,4, Y Song1,2
1Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Genetic factors influencing sleep duration are partially shared across diverse populations. A polygenic score based on European ancestry single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with sleep duration showed cross-ancestry applicability, aiding in understanding sleep
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Sleep Medicine
- Population Health
Background:
- Short and long sleep durations are linked to chronic disease risk.
- Genetic underpinnings of sleep duration are not well understood, particularly in non-European populations.
- Habitual sleep duration impacts overall health outcomes.
Conclusions:
- The genetic architecture of sleep duration is, to some extent, shared across diverse human populations.
- Polygenic scores derived from one ancestry group may have predictive value in others, though ancestry-specific effects exist.
- Novel genes and pathways influencing sleep duration and its associated health conditions have been identified.
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