Influence of age, sex and genetic factors on the human brain

D. Reese McKay; Emma E.M. Knowles; Anderson A.M. Winkler; Emma Sprooten; Peter Kochunov; Rene L. Olvera; Joanne E Curran; Jack W. Kent; Melanie A Carless; Harald HH Goring; Thomas D. Dyer; Ravindranath Duggirala; Laura A Almasy; Peter T. Fox; John C Blangero; David C. Glahn

doi:10.1007/s11682-013-9277-5

Influence of age, sex and genetic factors on the human brain

D. Reese McKay, Emma E.M. Knowles, Anderson A.M. Winkler, Emma Sprooten, Peter Kochunov, Rene L. Olvera, Joanne E Curran, Jack W. Kent, Melanie A Carless, Harald HH Goring, Thomas D. Dyer, Ravindranath Duggirala, Laura A Almasy, Peter T. Fox, John C Blangero, David C. Glahn

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61 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report effects of age, age², sex and additive genetic factors on variability in gray matter thickness, surface area and white matter integrity in 1,010 subjects from the Genetics of Brain Structure and Function Study. Age was more strongly associated with gray matter thickness and fractional anisotropy of water diffusion in white matter tracts, while sex was more strongly associated with gray matter surface area. Widespread heritability of neuroanatomic traits was observed, suggesting that brain structure is under strong genetic control. Furthermore, our findings indicate that neuroimaging-based measurements of cerebral variability are sensitive to genetic mediation. Fundamental studies of genetic influence on the brain will help inform gene discovery initiatives in both clinical and normative samples.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	143-152
Number of pages	10
Journal	Brain Imaging and Behavior
Volume	8
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-013-9277-5
State	Published - Jun 2014

Keywords

Aging
Anatomical MRI
Demographic covariates
Extended pedigrees
Heritability
Imaging genetics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
Neurology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Clinical Neurology
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Psychiatry and Mental health
Behavioral Neuroscience

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10.1007/s11682-013-9277-5

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McKay, D. R., Knowles, E. E. M., Winkler, A. A. M., Sprooten, E., Kochunov, P., Olvera, R. L., Curran, J. E., Kent, J. W., Carless, M. A., Goring, H. HH., Dyer, T. D., Duggirala, R., Almasy, L. A., Fox, P. T., Blangero, J. C., & Glahn, D. C. (2014). Influence of age, sex and genetic factors on the human brain. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 8(2), 143-152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-013-9277-5

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title = "Influence of age, sex and genetic factors on the human brain",

abstract = "We report effects of age, age2, sex and additive genetic factors on variability in gray matter thickness, surface area and white matter integrity in 1,010 subjects from the Genetics of Brain Structure and Function Study. Age was more strongly associated with gray matter thickness and fractional anisotropy of water diffusion in white matter tracts, while sex was more strongly associated with gray matter surface area. Widespread heritability of neuroanatomic traits was observed, suggesting that brain structure is under strong genetic control. Furthermore, our findings indicate that neuroimaging-based measurements of cerebral variability are sensitive to genetic mediation. Fundamental studies of genetic influence on the brain will help inform gene discovery initiatives in both clinical and normative samples.",

keywords = "Aging, Anatomical MRI, Demographic covariates, Extended pedigrees, Heritability, Imaging genetics",

author = "McKay, {D. Reese} and Knowles, {Emma E.M.} and Winkler, {Anderson A.M.} and Emma Sprooten and Peter Kochunov and Olvera, {Rene L.} and Curran, {Joanne E} and Kent, {Jack W.} and Carless, {Melanie A} and Goring, {Harald HH} and Dyer, {Thomas D.} and Ravindranath Duggirala and Almasy, {Laura A} and Fox, {Peter T.} and Blangero, {John C} and Glahn, {David C.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgments We are grateful to the participants in the San Antonio Family Study. Financial support for this study was provided by the National Institute of Mental Health grants MH078143, MH078111 and MH083824; and the National Institute for Heart, Lungs and Blood grant HL045222. The development of the analytical methods and SOLAR software used in this study was supported by National Institute of Mental Health grant R37 MH059490.",

year = "2014",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1007/s11682-013-9277-5",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "8",

pages = "143--152",

journal = "Brain Imaging and Behavior",

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AU - Knowles, Emma E.M.

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AU - Sprooten, Emma

AU - Kochunov, Peter

AU - Olvera, Rene L.

AU - Curran, Joanne E

AU - Kent, Jack W.

AU - Carless, Melanie A

AU - Goring, Harald HH

AU - Dyer, Thomas D.

AU - Duggirala, Ravindranath

AU - Almasy, Laura A

AU - Fox, Peter T.

AU - Blangero, John C

AU - Glahn, David C.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments We are grateful to the participants in the San Antonio Family Study. Financial support for this study was provided by the National Institute of Mental Health grants MH078143, MH078111 and MH083824; and the National Institute for Heart, Lungs and Blood grant HL045222. The development of the analytical methods and SOLAR software used in this study was supported by National Institute of Mental Health grant R37 MH059490.

PY - 2014/6

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AB - We report effects of age, age2, sex and additive genetic factors on variability in gray matter thickness, surface area and white matter integrity in 1,010 subjects from the Genetics of Brain Structure and Function Study. Age was more strongly associated with gray matter thickness and fractional anisotropy of water diffusion in white matter tracts, while sex was more strongly associated with gray matter surface area. Widespread heritability of neuroanatomic traits was observed, suggesting that brain structure is under strong genetic control. Furthermore, our findings indicate that neuroimaging-based measurements of cerebral variability are sensitive to genetic mediation. Fundamental studies of genetic influence on the brain will help inform gene discovery initiatives in both clinical and normative samples.

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KW - Anatomical MRI

KW - Demographic covariates

KW - Extended pedigrees

KW - Heritability

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Influence of age, sex and genetic factors on the human brain

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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