Twin Studies and Human Variation

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What is the primary interest of comparing discordant MZ twins in a study?

Identify factors associated with a trait of interest

How can twin studies be used to study molecular phenotypes?

To study gene expression levels, DNA methylation, and metabolite concentrations

What can twin studies help identify in terms of genetic and environmental factors?

Factors that influence molecular variation

What aspect of gene-by-environment interactions can twin studies help study?

Gene-by-environment interactions and transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic regulation Signup and view all the answers

How can twin studies assist in identifying biomarkers of aging and disease?

By studying gene-by-environment interactions Signup and view all the answers

What role can twin studies play in tracing the origin of new mutations?

Identifying somatic mutations that occur after twinning Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of extending twin studies to include data from other relatives?

To increase statistical power and test a wider range of hypotheses about the causes of human variation. Signup and view all the answers

How can twin studies be used to establish the proportion of heritability explained by newly identified SNPs?

By using data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) to analyze the heritability of a trait. Signup and view all the answers

What is the co-twin control method used for in twin studies?

To examine causal relationships in the comorbidity of traits. Signup and view all the answers

How does the co-twin control design help in distinguishing between causality and confounding effects in associations?

By identifying associations that reflect causality rather than those influenced by genes or environmental factors. Signup and view all the answers

What did a twin study reveal about the relationship between exercise behavior and depression?

The relationship was explained by shared genetic influences rather than cause-effect relationship. Signup and view all the answers

What reciprocal causal relationship was found between depression and migraine in a twin study?

A reciprocal causal relationship was discovered between depression and migraine. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of estimating heritability in twin studies?

To determine the proportion of the variation in a trait that is due to genetic factors. Signup and view all the answers

How can twin studies help in understanding the influence of genetic and environmental factors on different traits?

By estimating the extent to which different traits are influenced by the same or different genetic and environmental factors. Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe how the heritability of a trait changes with different environmental exposures?

Polygenic GxE interactions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of using twin registries for large-scale studies?

They provide longitudinal data on twins across age categories from birth to death. Signup and view all the answers

How can twin registry data be linked to national databases to estimate heritability?

By connecting twin registry data to databases containing information on cancer, mortality, or population screenings. Signup and view all the answers

What methodological advancements have contributed to the expansion of twin studies in the past 20 years?

New methods for zygosity assessment and improved survey methods. Signup and view all the answers