Skip to main content

Hereditary influences on cognitive functioning in older men. A study of 4000 twin pairs.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Brandt, J; Welsh, KA; Breitner, JC; Folstein, MF; Helms, M; Christian, JC
Published in: Arch Neurol
June 1993

OBJECTIVE: To determine the contribution of genetic factors to cognitive functioning in older men. DESIGN: Cognitive testing by telephone interview in an epidemiologically defined population. PARTICIPANTS: 2077 monozygotic and 2225 dizygotic male twin pairs, all between the ages of 62 and 73 years, recruited from the National Academy of Sciences twin registry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status--Modified total score and factor scores were analyzed. The Falconer heritability statistic and maximum likelihood estimates of genetic and environmental components were computed. RESULTS: Heritability of the total Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status--Modified score was estimated to be 30%. Shared environmental effects accounted for an additional 18% of the variance; most of this was related to years of education. Of the four cognitive factors derived, the language/attention factor had the highest heritability estimate. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic factors and educational achievement together account for almost half of the variance in the cognitive functioning of older men. Studies of the genetics of dementing illnesses need to consider the degree to which cognitive capacities are themselves under genetic control.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Arch Neurol

DOI

ISSN

0003-9942

Publication Date

June 1993

Volume

50

Issue

6

Start / End Page

599 / 603

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Twins, Monozygotic
  • Twins, Dizygotic
  • Social Environment
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Educational Status
  • Diseases in Twins
  • Dementia
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Brandt, J., Welsh, K. A., Breitner, J. C., Folstein, M. F., Helms, M., & Christian, J. C. (1993). Hereditary influences on cognitive functioning in older men. A study of 4000 twin pairs. Arch Neurol, 50(6), 599–603. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1993.00540060039014
Brandt, J., K. A. Welsh, J. C. Breitner, M. F. Folstein, M. Helms, and J. C. Christian. “Hereditary influences on cognitive functioning in older men. A study of 4000 twin pairs.Arch Neurol 50, no. 6 (June 1993): 599–603. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1993.00540060039014.
Brandt J, Welsh KA, Breitner JC, Folstein MF, Helms M, Christian JC. Hereditary influences on cognitive functioning in older men. A study of 4000 twin pairs. Arch Neurol. 1993 Jun;50(6):599–603.
Brandt, J., et al. “Hereditary influences on cognitive functioning in older men. A study of 4000 twin pairs.Arch Neurol, vol. 50, no. 6, June 1993, pp. 599–603. Pubmed, doi:10.1001/archneur.1993.00540060039014.
Brandt J, Welsh KA, Breitner JC, Folstein MF, Helms M, Christian JC. Hereditary influences on cognitive functioning in older men. A study of 4000 twin pairs. Arch Neurol. 1993 Jun;50(6):599–603.

Published In

Arch Neurol

DOI

ISSN

0003-9942

Publication Date

June 1993

Volume

50

Issue

6

Start / End Page

599 / 603

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Twins, Monozygotic
  • Twins, Dizygotic
  • Social Environment
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Educational Status
  • Diseases in Twins
  • Dementia