Common Genetic Variants Explain the Majority of the Correlation Between Height and Intelligence

The Generation Scotland Study

Riccardo E. Marioni*, G. David Batty, Caroline Hayward, Shona M. Kerr, Archie Campbell, Lynne J. Hocking, Generation Scotland, David J. Porteous, Peter M. Visscher, Ian J. Deary

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

27 Citations (Scopus)
4 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Greater height and higher intelligence test scores are predictors of better health outcomes. Here, we used molecular (single-nucleotide polymorphism) data to estimate the genetic correlation between height and general intelligence (g) in 6,815 unrelated subjects (median age 57, IQR 49-63) from the Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study cohort. The phenotypic correlation between height and g was 0.16 (SE 0.01). The genetic correlation between height and g was 0.28 (SE 0.09) with a bivariate heritability estimate of 0.71. Understanding the molecular basis of the correlation between height and intelligence may help explain any shared role in determining health outcomes. This study identified a modest genetic correlation between height and intelligence with the majority of the phenotypic correlation being explained by shared genetic influences.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)91-96
Number of pages6
JournalBehavior Genetics
Volume44
Issue number2
Early online date20 Feb 2014
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2014

Keywords

  • height
  • intelligence
  • molecular genetics
  • genetic correlation
  • Generation Scotland
  • Scottish family health
  • heritability
  • metaanalysis
  • association
  • pleiotrpy
  • childhood
  • disease
  • samples
  • cohort

Cite this

Marioni, R. E., Batty, G. D., Hayward, C., Kerr, S. M., Campbell, A., Hocking, L. J., ... Deary, I. J. (2014). Common Genetic Variants Explain the Majority of the Correlation Between Height and Intelligence: The Generation Scotland Study. Behavior Genetics, 44(2), 91-96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-014-9644-z

Common Genetic Variants Explain the Majority of the Correlation Between Height and Intelligence : The Generation Scotland Study. / Marioni, Riccardo E.; Batty, G. David; Hayward, Caroline; Kerr, Shona M.; Campbell, Archie; Hocking, Lynne J.; Scotland, Generation; Porteous, David J.; Visscher, Peter M.; Deary, Ian J.

In: Behavior Genetics, Vol. 44, No. 2, 03.2014, p. 91-96.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Marioni, RE, Batty, GD, Hayward, C, Kerr, SM, Campbell, A, Hocking, LJ, Scotland, G, Porteous, DJ, Visscher, PM & Deary, IJ 2014, 'Common Genetic Variants Explain the Majority of the Correlation Between Height and Intelligence: The Generation Scotland Study', Behavior Genetics, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 91-96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-014-9644-z
Marioni RE, Batty GD, Hayward C, Kerr SM, Campbell A, Hocking LJ et al. Common Genetic Variants Explain the Majority of the Correlation Between Height and Intelligence: The Generation Scotland Study. Behavior Genetics. 2014 Mar;44(2):91-96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-014-9644-z
Marioni, Riccardo E. ; Batty, G. David ; Hayward, Caroline ; Kerr, Shona M. ; Campbell, Archie ; Hocking, Lynne J. ; Scotland, Generation ; Porteous, David J. ; Visscher, Peter M. ; Deary, Ian J. / Common Genetic Variants Explain the Majority of the Correlation Between Height and Intelligence : The Generation Scotland Study. In: Behavior Genetics. 2014 ; Vol. 44, No. 2. pp. 91-96.
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