Learning Abilities and Disabilities
Year: 2007
Type: article
Abstract: Twin studies comparing identical and fraternal twins consistently show substantial genetic influence on individual differences in learning abilities such as reading and mathematics, as well as in other cognitive abilities such as spatial ability and memory. Multivariate genetic research has shown that the same set of genes is largely responsible for genetic influence on these diverse cognitive areas. We call these "generalist genes." What differentiates these abilities is largely the environment, especially nonshared environments that make children growing up in the same family different from one another. These multivariate genetic findings of generalist genes and specialist environments have far-reaching implications for diagnosis and treatment of learning disabilities and for understanding the brain mechanisms that mediate these effects.
Authors: Yulia Kovas, Robert Plomin
Institution: King's College London
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
Awards: Reading disability QTLs: pooled DNA on microarrays, GENETICS OF GENERAL AND SPECIFIC MATH DISABILITIES, Mild mental impairment in children: Using large samples, DNA pooling and 100,000-SNP microarrays to detect QTLS of small effect size in systematic genome scan for allelic association, Genetics, school environments and cognitive development
OpenAlex ID: W2105946201