Dorothy V. M. Bishop
Genes, Cognition, and Communication
University of Oxford
twin family studies demonstrated cognitive traits moderately highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorders dyslexia autism specific language impairment sli also show strong genetic influence nevertheless proved difficult researchers identify genes would explain substantial amounts variance cognitive traits disorders although observation may seem paradoxical fits multifactorial model complex human traits influenced numerous genes interact one another environment produce specific phenotype model also explain genetic influences cognition vanished course human evolution recent linkage association studies sli dyslexia reviewed illustrate points role nonheritable genetic mutations sporadic copy number variants causing autism also discussed finally research phenotypic correlates allelic variation genes aspm microcephalin considered initial interest genes brain size intelligence dampened failure find phenotypic differences people different versions genes current vogue investigators include measures allelic variants studies cognition cognitive disorders important aware effect sizes associated variants typically small hard detect without extremely large sample sizes