Cited by 516Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchGenetic Associations and EpidemiologyGenetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Polygenic transmission disequilibrium confirms that common and rare variation act additively to create risk for autism spectrum disorders

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iPSYCH-Broad Autism Group, Weiner, Daniel J, Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Autism Group, Wigdor, Emilie M, Ripke, Stephan, Walters, Raymond K, Kosmicki, Jack A, Grove, Jakob +17 more·2017·Nature Genetics

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk is influenced by common polygenic and de novo variation. We aimed to clarify the influence of polygenic risk for ASD and to identify subgroups of ASD cases, including those with strongly acting de novo variants, in which polygenic risk is relevant. Using a novel approach called the polygenic transmission disequilibrium test and data from 6,454 families with a child with ASD, we show that polygenic risk for ASD, schizophrenia, and greater educational attainment is over-transmitted to children with ASD. These findings hold independent of proband IQ. We find that polygenic variation contributes additively to risk in ASD cases who carry a strongly acting de novo variant. Lastly, we show that elements of polygenic risk are independent and differ in their relationship with phenotype. These results confirm that the genetic influences on ASD are additive and suggest that they create risk through at least partially distinct etiologic pathways.

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  • Most of the autistic population is idiopathic with causes unknown, likely due to complex polygenic and environmental interactions.

    “Most of the autistic population is considered “idiopathic” with causes unknown, likely the result of complex polygenic and environmental interactions [1,2,3,4].”
  • The polygenic TDT test had previously demonstrated overtransmission of PSASD, PSSZ and PSEA to cases, establishing proof of concept for including these scores in this study.

    “For this reason, these polygenic scores were selected for the first family-based study that applied a polygenic TDT test (also used in this study) to demonstrate an overtransmission of PSASD, PSSZ and PSEA to cases17. This established for us the proof of concept for their inclusion in this study.”
  • Many types of ASD-associated de novo variants are observed more frequently in female cases.

    “Many types of ASD-associated de novo variants are observed more frequently in female cases.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13”
  • Genetic studies of de novo variants have consistently supported a female protective effect against ASD.

    “The possibility of a “female protective effect” (FPE) against ASD has been described extensively and has received consistent support from the results of genetic studies of de novo variants.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13”
  • Inconsistent observations of elevated polygenic risk in female cases could be a function of statistical power, as the ASD PRS currently explains limited case-control variance on the liability scale (<3%) and under 4,000 female cases are present in published ASD GWAS meta-analyses.

    “Inconsistent observations could be a function of statistical power, as the polygenic risk score (PRS) for ASD currently explains limited case-control variance on the liability scale (<3%), and under 4,000 female cases are present in published ASD genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analyses.4,15”

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  1. [37]World Health Organization, T WHO Motor Development Study: windows of achievement for six gross motor development milestones Acta paediatrica 450 86 95 2006 16817682

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Authors
iPSYCH-Broad Autism Group, Weiner, D. J., Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Autism Group, Wigdor, E. M., Ripke, S., Walters, R. K., Kosmicki, J. A., Grove, J., Samocha, K. E., Goldstein, J. I., Okbay, A., Bybjerg-Grauholm, J., Werge, T., Hougaard, D. M., Taylor, J., Skuse, D., Devlin, B., Anney, R., Sanders, S. J., Bishop, S., Mortensen, P. B., Børglum, A. D., Smith, G. D., Daly, M. J., & Robinson, E. B.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Broad Institute (US)
  • Lundbeck Foundation (DK)
  • Statens Serum Institut (DK)
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
  • Aarhus University (DK)
Corresponding author
Robinson, Elise B
Venue
Nature Genetics
Published
2017-05-15
Volume
49
Issue
7
Pages
978-985
ISSN
  • 1061-4036 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1718
OpenAlex
W2616744713
Cited by
516
References
36
Citations by year
2026: 31 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 52 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 56 · 2019: 77 · 2018: 90 · 2017: 22
FWCI
38.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (acceptedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Explore Bristol Research (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Rutgers University Community Repository (Rutgers University) (submittedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (submittedVersion)
  • Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Hirsla (Landspítali University Hospital) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
Funders
  • Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
  • Brain Research Foundation
  • Simons Foundation (311789, 307705, SFARI 311789)
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
  • Broad Institute (402281)
  • Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (402281)
  • Lundbeckfonden (R155-2014-1724)
  • H. Lundbeck A/S
  • National Institutes of Health (5k01mh099286-02, 5u01mh094432-04)
  • Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute
  • Medical Research Council (MR/L010305/1)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (U01MH109539, U01MH109514, U01 MH094432, R01MH094293, 402281, R00MH101367, R01MH100027, K01 MH099286, 1K01MH099286-01A1, 5U01MH094432‐02)
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P30ES013508)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U54HD086984)
  • H2020 European Research Council (647648)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, polygenic risk, de novo mutations, family-based association, schizophrenia, educational attainment
MeSH terms
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Adult, Child, Educational Status, Ethnicity, Family Health, Female, Genetics, Behavioral, Humans, Intelligence, Male, Intellectual Disability, Phenotype, Risk Factors, Schizophrenia, Genetic Variation, Cohort Studies, Sequence Deletion, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Multifactorial Inheritance, Genetic Association Studies

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