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Cited by 34Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental DisordersGenetic Associations and Epidemiology

Limited genetic covariance between autistic traits and intelligence: findings from a longitudinal twin study

Hoekstra, Rosa A., Happé, Francesca, Baron‐Cohen, Simon, Ronald, Angelica·2010·American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics
DOI 10.1002/ajmg.b.31066
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Abstract

Intellectual disability is common in individuals with autism spectrum conditions. However, the strength of the association between both conditions and its relevance to finding the underlying (genetic) causes of autism is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between autistic traits and intelligence in a general population twin sample and to examine the etiology of this association. Parental ratings of autistic traits and performance on intelligence tests were collected in a sample of 8,848 twin pairs when the children were 7/8, 9, and 12 years old. Phenotypic and longitudinal correlations in the sample as a whole were compared to the associations in the most extreme scoring 5% of the population. The genetic and environmental influences on the overlap between autistic traits and IQ and on the stability of this relationship over time were estimated using structural equation modeling. Autistic traits were modestly negatively correlated to intellectual ability, both in the extreme scoring groups and among the full‐range scores. The correlation was stable over time and was mainly explained by autistic trait items assessing communication difficulties. Genetic model fitting showed that autistic traits and IQ were influenced by a common set of genes and a common set of environmental influences that continuously affect these traits throughout childhood. The genetic correlation between autistic traits and IQ was only modest. These findings suggest that individual differences in autistic traits are substantially genetically independent of intellectual functioning. The relevance of these findings to future studies is discussed. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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  • Common variant-associated risk may load on cognitive and behavioral dimensions that are distinct from those affected by rare variants and may be more specific to ASD.

    “In contrast to the situation with large-effect rare variants, genetic model fitting in twins53 and the consistent positive correlation of ASD with polygenic scores for IQ and educational attainment54, 55, 56, 57 suggest that common variant-associated risk may load on cognitive and behavioral dimensions that are distinct from those affected by rare variants and may be more specific to ASD.”

    From Insufficient Evidence for “Autism-Specific” Genes (2020) · cites this paper as [53]

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Authors
Hoekstra, R. A., Happé, F., Baron‐Cohen, S., & Ronald, A.
Affiliations
  • The Open University (GB)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • Birkbeck, University of London (GB)
Corresponding author
Hoekstra, Rosa A.
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2010-06-24
Volume
153B
Issue
5
Pages
994-1007
ISSN
  • 1552-4841 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-485X
DOI
10.1002/ajmg.b.31066
OpenAlex
W2164981722
Cited by
34
References
56
Citations by year
2023: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
FWCI
2.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Open Research Online (The Open University) (acceptedVersion)
  • BIROn (Birkbeck, University of London) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
Keywords
autistic traits, intelligence, genetic covariance, genetic correlation, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, communication difficulties, genetic and environmental factors, longitudinal stability, twin studies, childhood
MeSH terms
Autistic Disorder, Child, Female, Humans, Intelligence, Intelligence Tests, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Models, Genetic, Phenotype, Multivariate Analysis, Quantitative Trait, Heritable

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