Genetic Epidemiology, Translational Neurogenomics, Psychiatric Genetics and Statistical Genetics Laboratories investigate the pattern of disease in families, particularly identical and non-identical twins, to assess the relative importance of genes and environment in a variety of important health problems.
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PMID
19803779
TITLE
Estimating the heritability of hair curliness in twins of European ancestry.
ABSTRACT
Recent studies in Asian populations have identified variants in the EDAR and FGFR2 genes that arose following the divergence of Asians and Europeans and are associated with thick straight hair. To date no genetic variants have been identified influencing hair texture in Europeans. In the current study we examined the heritability of hair curliness in three unselected samples of predominantly European ancestry (N(S1) = 2717; N(S2) = 3904; N(S3) = 5079). When rated using a three point scale (Straight/Wavy/Curly) males were approximately 5% more likely to report straight hair than females and there were suggestions in the data that curliness increased slightly with age. Across samples significant additive and dominant genetic influences were detected resulting in a broad sense heritability of 85-95%. Given the magnitude and the specificity of the EDAR effect on hair morphology in Asian populations we are hopeful that future association studies will detect similar genetic influences in European populations.
DATE PUBLISHED
2009 Oct
HISTORY
PUBSTATUS PUBSTATUSDATE
entrez 2009/10/07 06:00
pubmed 2009/10/07 06:00
medline 2010/01/23 06:00
AUTHORS
NAME COLLECTIVENAME LASTNAME FORENAME INITIALS AFFILIATION AFFILIATIONINFO
Medland SE Medland Sarah E SE Queensland Institute of Medical Research, PO Royal Brishbane Hopsital, Brisbane, Australia. Sarah.medland@qimr.edu.au
Zhu G Zhu Gu G
Martin NG Martin Nicholas G NG
INVESTIGATORS
JOURNAL
VOLUME: 12
ISSUE: 5
TITLE: Twin research and human genetics : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies
ISOABBREVIATION: Twin Res Hum Genet
YEAR: 2009
MONTH: Oct
DAY:
MEDLINEDATE:
SEASON:
CITEDMEDIUM: Print
ISSN: 1832-4274
ISSNTYPE: Print
MEDLINE JOURNAL
MEDLINETA: Twin Res Hum Genet
COUNTRY: England
ISSNLINKING: 1832-4274
NLMUNIQUEID: 101244624
PUBLICATION TYPE
PUBLICATIONTYPE TEXT
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Twin Study
COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
GRANTS
GRANTID AGENCY COUNTRY
AA07535 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA10248 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA13320 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA13321 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA13326 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
AA14041 NIAAA NIH HHS United States
MH66206 NIMH NIH HHS United States
GENERAL NOTE
KEYWORDS
MESH HEADINGS
DESCRIPTORNAME QUALIFIERNAME
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Child
Edar Receptor genetics
European Continental Ancestry Group genetics
Female genetics
Hair anatomy & histology
Humans anatomy & histology
Male anatomy & histology
Middle Aged anatomy & histology
Quantitative Trait, Heritable anatomy & histology
Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 genetics
Twins genetics
Twins, Dizygotic genetics
Twins, Monozygotic genetics
SUPPLEMENTARY MESH
GENE SYMBOLS
CHEMICALS
REGISTRYNUMBER NAMEOFSUBSTANCE
0 EDAR protein, human
0 Edar Receptor
EC 2.7.10.1 FGFR2 protein, human
EC 2.7.10.1 Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2
OTHER ID's