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posted by n1 on Thursday July 10 2014, @02:57AM   Printer-friendly
from the genetically-destined-for-mediocrity dept.

A study into the genetic basis of cognitive traits has found that about half of the genes that influence how well a child can read also play a role in their mathematics ability.

Dissecting how genetic and environmental influences impact on learning is helpful for maximizing numeracy and literacy. Here we show, using twin and genome-wide analysis, that there is a substantial genetic component to children's ability in reading and mathematics, and estimate that around one half of the observed correlation in these traits is due to shared genetic effects (so-called Generalist Genes). Thus, our results highlight the potential role of the learning environment in contributing to differences in a child's cognitive abilities at age twelve.

Importantly, our analyses show that a substantial proportion of the observed correlation in reading and mathematics abilities is due to genetics. If a large proportion of the genetic factors that affect these traits are pleiotropic, then the factors that lead to differences in an individual's abilities (or disabilities) are relatively more likely to be environmental. Understanding the aetiology of these patterns increases our chances of developing effective learning environments that will help individuals attain the highest level of literacy and numeracy, increasingly important skills in the modern world.

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  • (Score: 0, Offtopic) by c0lo on Thursday July 10 2014, @03:28AM

    by c0lo (156) on Thursday July 10 2014, @03:28AM (#66872) Journal
    The messages of SN editorial board is loud and clear: prefer gynaecologists with that gene expressed and active [soylentnews.org].
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    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 10 2014, @09:46AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 10 2014, @09:46AM (#66987)
      After more than 3 hours since TFA was posted, a single comment... and marked Offtopic? Sorry guys, that comment provide an insight on the degree of interest raised by TFA.
  • (Score: 1) by E_NOENT on Thursday July 10 2014, @01:30PM

    by E_NOENT (630) on Thursday July 10 2014, @01:30PM (#67045) Journal

    FTFA:

    "Both analyses show that similar collections of subtle DNA differences are important for reading and maths. However, it's also clear just how important our life experience is in making us better at one or the other. It's this complex interplay of nature and nurture as we grow up that shapes who we are."

    Not exactly groundbreaking on the face of it...

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    • (Score: 3, Informative) by HiThere on Thursday July 10 2014, @07:41PM

      by HiThere (866) on Thursday July 10 2014, @07:41PM (#67250) Journal

      And not even exactly correct. There is a correlation between the genes that promote good reading and the genes that promote good math. I.e., the intersection of the sets is not null, and is actually pretty large. But neither is a subset of the other.

      Yes, as they point out, environment is also important. Even so they aren't the same sets, and neither is a subset of the other.

      So the headline is just wrong. The summary didn't inspire me to read the article, either, even though I'm somewhat interested in the area. Perhaps the article justified the headline, in which case the article was also wrong, but that's not the way I'd bet.

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      • (Score: 1) by E_NOENT on Thursday July 10 2014, @08:18PM

        by E_NOENT (630) on Thursday July 10 2014, @08:18PM (#67262) Journal

        Well-said.

        I'm guessing the research was probably interesting in and of itself, but there's no way you'd find out by TFA.

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        I'm not in the business... I *am* the business.
        • (Score: 2) by lhsi on Friday July 11 2014, @08:43AM

          by lhsi (711) on Friday July 11 2014, @08:43AM (#67504) Journal

          I'll copy over the title of the research article and the abstract:

          Article title: The correlation between reading and mathematics ability at age twelve has a substantial genetic component

          Abstract: Dissecting how genetic and environmental influences impact on learning is helpful for maximizing numeracy and literacy. Here we show, using twin and genome-wide analysis, that there is a substantial genetic component to children's ability in reading and mathematics, and estimate that around one half of the observed correlation in these traits is due to shared genetic effects (so-called Generalist Genes). Thus, our results highlight the potential role of the learning environment in contributing to differences in a child's cognitive abilities at age twelve.

          Full text available: http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140708/ncomms5204/full/ncomms5204.html/ [nature.com]