Lack of replication for the myosin-18B association with mathematical ability in independent cohorts
Abstract
Twin studies indicate that dyscalculia (or mathematical disability) is caused partly by a genetic component, which is yet to be understood at the molecular level. Recently, a coding variant (rs133885) in the myosin-18B gene was shown to be associated with mathematical abilities with a specific effect among children with dyslexia. This association represents one of the most significant genetic associations reported to date for mathematical abilities and the only one reaching genome-wide statistical significance. We conducted a replication study in different cohorts to assess the effect of rs133885 maths-related measures. The study was conducted primarily using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), (N = 3819). We tested additional cohorts including the York Cohort, the Specific Language Impairment Consortium (SLIC) cohort and the Raine Cohort, and stratified them for a definition of dyslexia whenever possible. We did not observe any associations between rs133885 in myosin-18B and mathematical abilities among individuals with dyslexia or in the general population. Our results suggest that the myosin-18B variant is unlikely to be a main factor contributing to mathematical abilities.
Citation
Pettigrew , K A , Fajutrao Valles , S F , Moll , K , Northstone , K , Ring , S , Pennell , C , Wang , C , Leavett , R , Hayiou-Thomas , M E , Thompson , P , Simpson , N H , Fisher , S E , Whitehouse , A J O , Snowling , M J , Newbury , D F , Paracchini , S & SLI Consortium 2015 , ' Lack of replication for the myosin-18B association with mathematical ability in independent cohorts ' , Genes, Brain and Behavior , vol. 14 , no. 4 , pp. 369-376 . https://doi.org/10.1111/gbb.12213
Publication
Genes, Brain and Behavior
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1601-1848Type
Journal article
Description
SP is a Royal Society University Research Fellow. This specific study in the ALSPAC cohort was supported by a MRC grant to SP [grant number G0800523/8647]. Support to the analysis was provided by the St Andrews Bioinformatics Unit funded by the Wellcome Trust [grant 097831/Z/11/Z].Collections
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