Cited by 5,559Genetic Associations and EpidemiologyGenetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and AnimalsGenetic and phenotypic traits in livestock

LD Score regression distinguishes confounding from polygenicity in genome-wide association studies

Open access
Schizophrenia Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Bulik-Sullivan, Brendan K, Loh, Po-Ru, Finucane, Hilary K, Ripke, Stephan, Yang, Jian, Patterson, Nick, Daly, Mark J +2 more·2015·Nature Genetics

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Both polygenicity (many small genetic effects) and confounding biases, such as cryptic relatedness and population stratification, can yield an inflated distribution of test statistics in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, current methods cannot distinguish between inflation from a true polygenic signal and bias. We have developed an approach, LD Score regression, that quantifies the contribution of each by examining the relationship between test statistics and linkage disequilibrium (LD). The LD Score regression intercept can be used to estimate a more powerful and accurate correction factor than genomic control. We find strong evidence that polygenicity accounts for the majority of the inflation in test statistics in many GWAS of large sample size.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/ng.3211

Cites

51 of 51 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Results from LD Score regression favored polygenicity over stratification bias, with an LD Score intercept of 1.115 (SE=0.019) and attenuation ratio of 0.054 (SE=0.009).

    “LD Score regression suggested polygenicity rather than bias from population stratification10,12, as the (default settings) LD Score intercept and attenuation ratio were estimated to be 1.115 (SE = 0.019) and 0.054 (SE = 0.009), respectively.”

    From Multivariate analysis of 1.5 million people identifies genetic associations with traits related to self-regulation and addiction. (2021) · cites this paper as [12]

    The Results (Real Data; page not provided) say that LD Score regression found polygenicity contributed substantially more than bias to GWAS test-statistic inflation. Our copy does not report the claimed intercept of 1.115 (SE = 0.019) or attenuation ratio of 0.054 (SE = 0.009); its schizophrenia example instead gives an intercept of 1.07. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The LD score regression intercept was computed using LDSC v1.0.1 with baselineLD LD scores from 1000 Genomes phase 3.

    “The LD score regression intercept was computed with LDSC v1.0.1 software using the ‘baselineLD’ LD scores built from 1000 Genomes phase 3 (ref. 64).”

    From New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (2022) · cites this paper as [64]

    The Results (Overview of Methods) describe LD Score regression and LD Scores estimated from 1000 Genomes European samples; Online Methods (Estimation of LD Score) also mention the authors’ LDSC software package. Our copy does not identify LDSC v1.0.1, ‘baselineLD’ scores, or 1000 Genomes phase 3 as the inputs used in the citing paper’s computation. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • LD score regression intercepts were calculated for each GWAS and corrected standard errors were calculated by multiplying the standard error by the square root of the LD score regression intercept when the intercept was more than 1.

    “LD score regression intercepts were calculated for each GWAS using LD score (v.1.0.1)45 and corrected standard errors (SEldsc) were calculated by multiplying the standard error by the square root of the LD score regression intercept in cases where the LD score regression intercept was more than 1.”

    From Genomic and transcriptomic analyses of aortic stenosis enhance therapeutic target discovery and disease prediction (2026) · cites this paper as [45]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) identifies LD Score regression and a command-line tool for estimating LD Scores and performing the regression. It also proposes using the regression intercept to correct inflated GWAS test statistics. Our copy does not specify multiplying standard errors by the square root of the intercept or applying that correction only when the intercept exceeds 1. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • In deCODE, correction for inflation of test statistics due to relatedness and population stratification was performed using the intercept estimate (1.30) from linkage disequilibrium score regression.

    “In deCODE, correction for inflation of test statistics due to relatedness and population stratification was performed using the intercept estimate (1.30) from linkage disequilibrium (LD) score regression21.”

    From Consensus meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (2026) · cites this paper as [21]

    The Introduction explains that the LD Score regression intercept estimates inflation from confounding biases, including relatedness and population stratification; the Discussion proposes using it to correct test statistics. Our copy does not report a deCODE analysis, an intercept of 1.30, or that this correction was performed in deCODE. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Population-specific LD scores based on the 1KG Project phase 3 data were used to estimate SNP-based heritability.

    “We performed LDSC v1.0.1 (ref. 18) to estimate the SNP-based heritability of EduYears in the TWB, KoGES, EAS and EUR populations14 using population-specific LD scores based on the 1KG Project phase 3 data.”

    From Shared genetic architectures of educational attainment in East Asian and European populations (2024) · cites this paper as [18]

    The Results (Overview of Methods) say LD Score regression can estimate SNP-based heritability under strong assumptions, and Online Methods (Estimation of LD Score) describe LD scores derived from the 1000 Genomes European reference panel. Online Methods (Intra-European LD Score Differences) also describe scores for European subpopulations. The paper does not specify phase 3 data or report using population-specific scores for TWB, KoGES, and EAS heritability estimates. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

1 of the 52 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [33]Consortium., S.W.G.o.t.P.G. Biological Insights from 108 Schizophrenia-Associated Genetic Loci Nature 2014 511 421 427 25056061 PMC4112379

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Schizophrenia Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Bulik-Sullivan, B. K., Loh, P.-R., Finucane, H. K., Ripke, S., Yang, J., Patterson, N., Daly, M. J., Price, A. L., & Neale, B. M.
Affiliations
  • Broad Institute (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
Corresponding author
Neale, Benjamin M
Venue
Nature Genetics
Published
2015-02-02
Volume
47
Issue
3
Pages
291-295
ISSN
  • 1061-4036 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1718
OpenAlex
W2153860431
Cited by
5,559
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 620 · 2025: 852 · 2024: 805 · 2023: 634 · 2022: 612 · 2021: 558 · 2020: 394 · 2019: 392 · 2018: 312 · 2017: 200 · 2016: 120 · 2015: 50 · 2014: 3
FWCI
155.57
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • EPubDev Repository (submittedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
  • Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) (submittedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
  • The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion)
  • Institutional Research Information System (Università degli Studi di Trento) (submittedVersion)
  • GRO (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) (submittedVersion)
  • RUNE (Research UNE) (submittedVersion)
  • NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5u01mh094432-04)
  • Medical Research Council (MR/L023784/2, MR/L010305/1, MR/L023784/1)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (U01 MH094432, U01MH094421, R01MH085548, R01 MH094421, R01MH101244)
  • National Human Genome Research Institute (R01HG006399, F32HG007805)
  • National Cancer Institute (R03CA173785)
  • National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR025758)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
Keywords
LD score regression, polygenicity, confounding, linkage disequilibrium, cryptic relatedness, population stratification, genomic control, summary statistics, polygenic traits
MeSH terms
Computer Simulation, Humans, Regression Analysis, Linkage Disequilibrium, Genome, Human, Sample Size, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Genome-Wide Association Study

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review