A Twin Study of the Genetics of High Cognitive Ability Selected from 11,000 Twin Pairs in Six Studies from Four Countries

Claire M. A. Haworth; Margaret J. Wright; Nicolas W. Martin; Nicholas G. Martin; Dorret I. Boomsma; Meike Bartels; Danielle Posthuma; Oliver S. P. Davis; Angela M. Brant; Robin P. Corley; John K. Hewitt; William G. Iacono; Matthew McGue; Lee A. Thompson; Sara A. Hart; Stephen A. Petrill; David Lubinski; Robert Plomin

doi:10.1007/s10519-009-9262-3

A Twin Study of the Genetics of High Cognitive Ability Selected from 11,000 Twin Pairs in Six Studies from Four Countries

Claire M. A. Haworth, Margaret J. Wright, Nicolas W. Martin, Nicholas G. Martin, Dorret I. Boomsma, Meike Bartels, Danielle Posthuma, Oliver S. P. Davis, Angela M. Brant, Robin P. Corley, John K. Hewitt, William G. Iacono, Matthew McGue, Lee A. Thompson, Sara A. Hart, Stephen A. Petrill, David Lubinski, Robert Plomin

Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

59 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Although much genetic research has addressed normal variation in intelligence, little is known about the etiology of high cognitive abilities. Using data from 11,000 twin pairs (age range = 6-71 years) from the genetics of high cognitive abilities consortium, we investigated the genetic and environmental etiologies of high general cognitive ability (g). Age-appropriate psychometric cognitive tests were administered to the twins and used to create g scores standardized within each study. Liability-threshold model fitting was used to estimate genetic and environmental parameters for the top 15% of the distribution of g. Genetic influence for high g was substantial (0.50, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.41-0.60). Shared environmental influences were moderate (0.28, 0.19-0.37). We conclude that genetic variation contributes substantially to high g in Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	359 - 370
Number of pages	12
Journal	Behavior Genetics
Volume	39
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-009-9262-3
Publication status	Published - Jul 2009

Keywords

Genetics
High cognitive ability
Twins
Intelligence
Talent

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10.1007/s10519-009-9262-3

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2740717/

Genetics, school environment and cognitive development.
Plomin, R. (Primary Investigator)
NIH National Institutes of Health
1/02/2010 → 30/11/2015
Project: Research
The genetics of High Cognitive Abilities
Plomin, R. (Primary Investigator)
John Templeton Foundation
1/06/2008 → 30/11/2010
Project: Research
Origins of learning difficulties and behaviour problems: From behavioural genetics to behavioural genomics
Plomin, R. (Primary Investigator)
MRC Medical Research Council
1/10/2005 → 30/09/2010
Project: Research

Cite this

Haworth, C. M. A., Wright, M. J., Martin, N. W., Martin, N. G., Boomsma, D. I., Bartels, M., Posthuma, D., Davis, O. S. P., Brant, A. M., Corley, R. P., Hewitt, J. K., Iacono, W. G., McGue, M., Thompson, L. A., Hart, S. A., Petrill, S. A., Lubinski, D., & Plomin, R. (2009). A Twin Study of the Genetics of High Cognitive Ability Selected from 11,000 Twin Pairs in Six Studies from Four Countries. Behavior Genetics, 39(4), 359 - 370. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-009-9262-3

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title = "A Twin Study of the Genetics of High Cognitive Ability Selected from 11,000 Twin Pairs in Six Studies from Four Countries",

abstract = "Although much genetic research has addressed normal variation in intelligence, little is known about the etiology of high cognitive abilities. Using data from 11,000 twin pairs (age range = 6-71 years) from the genetics of high cognitive abilities consortium, we investigated the genetic and environmental etiologies of high general cognitive ability (g). Age-appropriate psychometric cognitive tests were administered to the twins and used to create g scores standardized within each study. Liability-threshold model fitting was used to estimate genetic and environmental parameters for the top 15% of the distribution of g. Genetic influence for high g was substantial (0.50, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.41-0.60). Shared environmental influences were moderate (0.28, 0.19-0.37). We conclude that genetic variation contributes substantially to high g in Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.",

keywords = "Genetics , High cognitive ability , Twins , Intelligence , Talent",

author = "Haworth, {Claire M. A.} and Wright, {Margaret J.} and Martin, {Nicolas W.} and Martin, {Nicholas G.} and Boomsma, {Dorret I.} and Meike Bartels and Danielle Posthuma and Davis, {Oliver S. P.} and Brant, {Angela M.} and Corley, {Robin P.} and Hewitt, {John K.} and Iacono, {William G.} and Matthew McGue and Thompson, {Lee A.} and Hart, {Sara A.} and Petrill, {Stephen A.} and David Lubinski and Robert Plomin",

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doi = "10.1007/s10519-009-9262-3",

language = "English",

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Haworth, CMA, Wright, MJ, Martin, NW, Martin, NG, Boomsma, DI, Bartels, M, Posthuma, D, Davis, OSP, Brant, AM, Corley, RP, Hewitt, JK, Iacono, WG, McGue, M, Thompson, LA, Hart, SA, Petrill, SA, Lubinski, D & Plomin, R 2009, 'A Twin Study of the Genetics of High Cognitive Ability Selected from 11,000 Twin Pairs in Six Studies from Four Countries', Behavior Genetics, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 359 - 370. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-009-9262-3

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AU - Haworth, Claire M. A.

AU - Wright, Margaret J.

AU - Martin, Nicolas W.

AU - Martin, Nicholas G.

AU - Boomsma, Dorret I.

AU - Bartels, Meike

AU - Posthuma, Danielle

AU - Davis, Oliver S. P.

AU - Brant, Angela M.

AU - Corley, Robin P.

AU - Hewitt, John K.

AU - Iacono, William G.

AU - McGue, Matthew

AU - Thompson, Lee A.

AU - Hart, Sara A.

AU - Petrill, Stephen A.

AU - Lubinski, David

AU - Plomin, Robert

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AB - Although much genetic research has addressed normal variation in intelligence, little is known about the etiology of high cognitive abilities. Using data from 11,000 twin pairs (age range = 6-71 years) from the genetics of high cognitive abilities consortium, we investigated the genetic and environmental etiologies of high general cognitive ability (g). Age-appropriate psychometric cognitive tests were administered to the twins and used to create g scores standardized within each study. Liability-threshold model fitting was used to estimate genetic and environmental parameters for the top 15% of the distribution of g. Genetic influence for high g was substantial (0.50, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.41-0.60). Shared environmental influences were moderate (0.28, 0.19-0.37). We conclude that genetic variation contributes substantially to high g in Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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KW - High cognitive ability

KW - Twins

KW - Intelligence

KW - Talent

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JO - Behavior Genetics

JF - Behavior Genetics

IS - 4

ER -

A Twin Study of the Genetics of High Cognitive Ability Selected from 11,000 Twin Pairs in Six Studies from Four Countries

Abstract

Keywords

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Projects

Genetics, school environment and cognitive development.

The genetics of High Cognitive Abilities

Origins of learning difficulties and behaviour problems: From behavioural genetics to behavioural genomics

Cite this