One of the largest-ever genetics studies in the social
sciences has found 74 genetic variants that are associated with the amount of
time an individual spends in education.
However, the researchers estimate that the variants
they identified comprise just 0.43 percent of the variation in length of time
spent studying across individuals.
In other words, for the variant with the largest
effect, 'the difference between people with zero copies of the gene and those
who have two copies predicts, on average, about nine more weeks of schooling,'
Professor Daniel Benjamin, a co-author from the University of Southern
California, said.
Professor Benjamin said that therefore 'simplistic
interpretations of our results, such as calling them "genes for
education", are totally misleading'. Nonetheless, Professor Robert Plomin,
a proponent of the view that genes strongly influence educational attainment,
and who was not involved in the study, told the Guardian that research had
reached a 'tipping point' where genetic tests could be used to identify
people's individual educational strengths and weaknesses.
The study, which was published in Nature, pulls
together research by 253 researchers in 15 countries and considers time spent
in education to be a reasonable correlate for educational attainment. The
genomes of just under 300,000 people of European descent were analysed, and the
74 variants associated with time spent in education were picked out. The
results were verified by testing to find the same associations in the 111,000
people who have their DNA stored in the UK BioBank.
The variants that were identified are disproportionately
found in genomic regions that regulate fetal brain development. They also
overlap with variants linked to scores on cognitive tests and genes thought to
be associated with disorders such as Alzheimer's and schizophrenia. Professor
Benjamin told the Guardian that the study might contribute to research in those
fields as well.
Despite this possibility, some commentators have
reacted angrily to the paper. 'Policymakers should pull the plug on this sort
of work,' anthropologists Dr Anne Buchanan and Dr Kenneth Weiss from
Pennsylvania State University said in a statement sent to Nature. 'We gain
little that is useful in our understanding of this sort of trait by a massively
large genetic approach in normal individuals.'
On the other hand, Professor Plomin was highly
supportive of the study. He told the Guardian that the research brought genetic
testing for educational capabilities one step closer. He added that such tests
'will move education closer to "personalised learning" rather than
continuing to assume that a one-size-fits-all national curriculum works equally
well for everyone'.
Our Dr at Biotexcom clinic explained once that one of the major factors in IVF failure is chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo. This is true for all human embryos, whether naturally conceived or developed in the embryology lab. These abnormalities are the reason behind most miscarriages as well as failure to implant in an IVF cycle. Studies have shown that starting in their 30s, as women age, the incidence of choromosomal abnormalities in their eggs begins to increase. By the mid-40s as much as 75 percent of a woman’s eggs have chromosomal abnormalities. A man’s sperm develops more chromosomal abnormalities as he ages as well, but at a much lower rate than a woman’s eggs. It’s unfair, ladies, but it’s true.
ReplyDeleteIf you’ve had a failed IVF cycle, your fertility specialist may recommend PGS, preimplantation genetic screening, for your next IVF cycle. PGS tests a few cells from an embryo to determine if the correct number of chromosomes are present. Are you better off with an experienced reproductive endocrinologist with a long track record, or a new young doctor just off fellowship training who may be at the cutting edge of practice? What are the practice’s success rates with women your age? Does the lab have a good reputation and experienced staff? Do you feel comfortable that your doctor is listening to you and is addressing your concerns? Before you commit to a second IVF cycle, assess how you and your partner feel.