Dissecting polygenic signals from genome-wide association studies on human behaviour

Abdel Abdellaoui () and Karin J. H. Verweij
Additional contact information
Abdel Abdellaoui: University of Amsterdam
Karin J. H. Verweij: University of Amsterdam

Nature Human Behaviour, 2021, vol. 5, issue 6, 686-694

Abstract: Abstract Genome-wide association studies on human behavioural traits are producing large amounts of polygenic signals with significant predictive power and potentially useful biological clues. Behavioural traits are more distal and are less directly under biological control compared with physical characteristics, which makes the associated genetic effects harder to interpret. The results of genome-wide association studies for human behaviour are likely made up of a composite of signals from different sources. While sample sizes continue to increase, we outline additional steps that need to be taken to better delineate the origin of the increasingly stronger polygenic signals. In addition to genetic effects on the traits themselves, the major sources of polygenic signals are those that are associated with correlated traits, environmental effects and ascertainment bias. Advances in statistical approaches that disentangle polygenic effects from different traits as well as extending data collection to families and social circles with better geographical coverage will probably contribute to filling the gap of knowledge between genetic effects and behavioural outcomes.

Date: 2021
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01110-y Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nathum:v:5:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1038_s41562-021-01110-y

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/

DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01110-y

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Human Behaviour is currently edited by Stavroula Kousta

More articles in Nature Human Behaviour from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().