Genetic influences on neonatal cortical thickness and surface area.

ABSTRACT: Genetic and environmental influences on cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) are thought to vary in a complex and dynamic way across the lifespan. It has been established that CT and SA are genetically distinct in older children, adolescents, and adults, and that heritability varies across cortical regions. Very little, however, is known about how genetic and environmental factors influence infant CT and SA. Using structural MRI, we performed the first assessment of genetic and environmental influences on normal variation of SA and CT in 360 twin neonates. We observed strong and significant additive genetic influences on total SA (a²  = 0.78) and small and nonsignificant genetic influences on average CT (a²  = 0.29). Moreover, we found significant genetic ove

SUBMITTER: Jha SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6218288 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature