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Heritability Estimation from Concordant Twin Pairs Alone

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

Jeffrey A. Sofaer  and
Susan M. Holloway
Jeffrey A. Sofaer*
Affiliation:
Department of Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology, University of Edinburgh
Susan M. Holloway
Affiliation:
Uman Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh
*
Department of Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology, Old Surgeons Hall, High School Yards, Edinburgh EH1 1NR, UK

Abstract

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Heritability estimation is possible from concordant twin pairs alone, based on the proportion of like-sexed pairs among all concordant affected pairs. The method is limited to conditions found in both sexes in the prevalence range 0.1% to 10%, and a relatively large population size is required to give an adequate sample of twin pairs. However, the method has the considerable advantage that zygosity determination is not required and that any bias due to incomplete diagnosis/ascertainment is likely to be small. The method is particularly suited to diseases where registration is obligatory and computerised so that the register can be scanned for pairs of individuals with the same date of birth, place of birth and birth surname.

Keywords

HeritabilityTwinsConcordanceDisease registersZygosity unknown
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 35 , Issue 1-2 , April 1986 , pp. 49 - 60
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1986

References

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