Twins and the mystery of missing heritability: the contribution of gene-environment interactions

J Intern Med. 2012 Nov;272(5):440-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2012.02587.x. Epub 2012 Oct 11.

Abstract

Since 2006, the advent of increasingly larger genome-wide association studies and their meta-analyses have led to numerous, replicated findings of genetic polymorphisms associated with many diseases and traits. Early studies suggested that the identified loci generally accounted for a small fraction of the genetic variance estimated from twin and family studies. This led to the concept of 'missing heritability'. Here, the progress in accounting for a greater proportion of the variance is reviewed. In particular, gene-environment interactions can, for some traits and in certain circumstances, explain part of this missing heritability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Diseases in Twins / genetics*
  • Gene-Environment Interaction*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Humans
  • Polymorphism, Genetic / genetics
  • Twin Studies as Topic
  • Twins / genetics*