Gene-environment Interplay

Question 1

What are the impacts of ignoring gene-environment associations when estimating the aetiology of a phenotype?

Answer 1

AxE interaction - inflates E
AxE correlation - inflates E
A x C interaction - inflates A
AxC correlation - inflates c

Question 2

What is gxe correaltion?

Answer 2

Genetic influence on exposure to environments (plomin, 1991)

Question 3

What is a passive rGE

Answer 3

Children receive genotyped correlated with their family environments

Highly intelligent parents
Books in the home
Bright children

Question 4

What is the nature of nurture?

Answer 4

This is that genetic factors influence environmental measures

Genetics contribute substantially to experience

We choose, change, build and re-construct experiences based partly on our genetic propensities

Question 5

How pervasive and important are rGE likely to be?

Answer 5

Almost all environments over which there is choice/control are significantly genetically influenced

Genetic influence on divorce, family discord, negativity shown to children

Question 6

What is gXe?

Answer 6

Humans and animals show variability in responses to environmental hazards

Genes are involved in biological and psychological functioning

They are likely to be important in response to the environment too.

Our genes interact with the environment to create a phenotype

Question 7

Describe an adoption study which demonstrates a gxe interaction

Answer 7

Philibert (2006) study used the Iowa adoption study and focused on depression

Although a small sample was used 94 females they did demonstrate that there was a gxe interaction for MDD and the HOPA allele