Multivariate genome-wide covariance analyses of literacy, language and working memory skills reveal distinct etiologies.

ABSTRACT: Several abilities outside literacy proper are associated with reading and spelling, both phenotypically and genetically, though our knowledge of multivariate genomic covariance structures is incomplete. Here, we introduce structural models describing genetic and residual influences between traits to study multivariate links across measures of literacy, phonological awareness, oral language, and phonological working memory (PWM) in unrelated UK youth (8-13 years, N = 6453). We find that all phenotypes share a large proportion of underlying genetic variation, although especially oral language and PWM reveal substantial differences in their genetic variance composition with substantial trait-specific genetic influences. Multivariate genetic and residual trait covariance showed concordant patt

SUBMITTER: Shapland CY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8377061 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature