Genetic associations with parental investment from conception to wealth inheritance in six cohorts

Jasmin Wertz (), Terrie E. Moffitt, Louise Arseneault, J. C. Barnes, Michel Boivin, David L. Corcoran, Andrea Danese, Robert J. Hancox, HonaLee Harrington, Renate M. Houts, Stephanie Langevin, Hexuan Liu, Richie Poulton, Karen Sugden, Peter T. Tanksley, Benjamin S. Williams and Avshalom Caspi
Additional contact information
Jasmin Wertz: University of Edinburgh
Terrie E. Moffitt: Duke University
Louise Arseneault: King’s College London
J. C. Barnes: University of Cincinnati
Michel Boivin: Laval University
David L. Corcoran: University of North Carolina
Andrea Danese: King’s College London
Robert J. Hancox: University of Otago
HonaLee Harrington: Duke University
Renate M. Houts: Duke University
Stephanie Langevin: Duke University
Hexuan Liu: University of Cincinnati
Richie Poulton: University of Otago
Karen Sugden: Duke University
Peter T. Tanksley: University of Texas at Austin
Benjamin S. Williams: Duke University
Avshalom Caspi: Duke University

Nature Human Behaviour, 2023, vol. 7, issue 8, 1388-1401

Abstract: Abstract Genetic inheritance is not the only way parents’ genes may affect children. It is also possible that parents’ genes are associated with investments into children’s development. We examined evidence for links between parental genetics and parental investments, from the prenatal period through to adulthood, using data from six population-based cohorts in the UK, US and New Zealand, together totalling 36,566 parents. Our findings revealed associations between parental genetics—summarized in a genome-wide polygenic score—and parental behaviour across development, from smoking in pregnancy, breastfeeding in infancy, parenting in childhood and adolescence, to leaving a wealth inheritance to adult children. Effect sizes tended to be small at any given time point, ranging from RR = 1.12 (95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.09, 1.15) to RR = 0.76 (95%CI 0.72, 0.80) during the prenatal period and infancy; β = 0.07 (95%CI 0.04, 0.11) to β = 0.29 (95%CI 0.27, 0.32) in childhood and adolescence, and RR = 1.04 (95%CI 1.01, 1.06) to RR = 1.11 (95%CI 1.07, 1.15) in adulthood. There was evidence for accumulating effects across development, ranging from β = 0.15 (95%CI 0.11, 0.18) to β = 0.23 (95%CI 0.16, 0.29) depending on cohort. Our findings are consistent with the interpretation that parents pass on advantages to offspring not only via direct genetic transmission or purely environmental paths, but also via genetic associations with parental investment from conception to wealth inheritance.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01618-5

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