Contributions of common genetic variants to specific languages and to when a language is learned.

ABSTRACT: Research over the past two decades has identified a group of common genetic variants explaining a portion of variance in native language ability. The present study investigates whether the same group of genetic variants are associated with different languages and languages learned at different times in life. We recruited 940 young adults who spoke from childhood Chinese and English as their first (native) (L1) and second (L2) language, respectively, who were learners of a new, third (L3) language. For the variants examined, we found a general decrease of contribution of genes to language functions from native to foreign (L2 and L3) languages, with variance in foreign languages explained largely by non-genetic factors such as musical training and motivation. Furthermore, genetic variants th

SUBMITTER: Wong PCM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8755716 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature