Differences in polygenic associations with educational attainment between West and East Germany before and after reunification.

ABSTRACT: Here we examine geographical and historical differences in polygenic associations with educational attainment in East and West Germany around reunification. We test this in n = 1902 25-85-year-olds from the German SOEP-G[ene] cohort. We leverage a DNA-based measure of genetic influence, a polygenic index calculated based on a previous genome-wide association study of educational attainment in individuals living in democratic countries. We find that polygenic associations with educational attainment were significantly stronger among East, but not West, Germans after but not before reunification. Negative control analyses of a polygenic index of height with educational attainment and height indicate that this gene-by-environemt interaction is specific to the educational domain. These finding

SUBMITTER: Fraemke D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10996480 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature