Testing Familial Transmission of Smoking With Two Different Research Designs.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Classical twin studies show that smoking is heritable. To determine if shared family environment plays a role in addition to genetic factors, and if they interact (G×E), we use a children-of-twins design. In a second sample, we measure genetic influence with polygenic risk scores (PRS) and environmental influence with a question on exposure to smoking during childhood.

Methods

Data on smoking initiation were available for 723 children of 712 twins from the Netherlands Twin Register (64.9% female, median birth year 1985). Children were grouped in ascending order of risk, based on smoking status and zygosity of their twin-parent and his/her co-twin: never smoking twin-parent with a never smoking co-twin; never smoking twin-parent with a smoking dizygotic co-twin;

SUBMITTER: Treur JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6685054 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature