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Estimating Heritability from Twin Studies

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Book cover Statistical Human Genetics

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 850))

Abstract

This chapter describes how the heritability of a trait can be estimated using data collected from pairs of twins. The principles of the classical twin design are described, followed by the assumptions and possible extensions of the design. In the second part of this chapter, two example scripts are presented and described, explaining the basic steps for estimating heritability using the statistical program OpenMx. OpenMx and the scripts used for this chapter can be downloaded so that readers can adapt and use the scripts for their own purposes.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    These authors contibuted equally (equal first authorship)

References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Karin J. H. Verweij, Miriam A. Mosing, Brendan P. Zietsch & Sarah E. Medland

  2. School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Karin J. H. Verweij, Miriam A. Mosing & Brendan P. Zietsch

Authors
  1. Karin J. H. Verweij
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  2. Miriam A. Mosing
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  3. Brendan P. Zietsch
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  4. Sarah E. Medland
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah E. Medland .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Dept. Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cornell Road 2103, Cleveland, 44106, Ohio, USA

    Robert C. Elston

  2. Dept. Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, East 63rd Street 307, New York, 10021, New York, USA

    Jaya M. Satagopan

  3. School of Medicine, Dept. Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cornell Road 2103, Cleveland, 44106, Ohio, USA

    Shuying Sun

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© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Verweij, K.J.H., Mosing, M.A., Zietsch, B.P., Medland, S.E. (2012). Estimating Heritability from Twin Studies. In: Elston, R., Satagopan, J., Sun, S. (eds) Statistical Human Genetics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 850. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-555-8_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-555-8_9

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-554-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-555-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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