Using adopted individuals to partition indirect maternal genetic effects into prenatal and postnatal effects on offspring phenotypes
Researchers developed a statistical model and simulations to distinguish prenatal from postnatal indirect maternal genetic associations, using adopted people and family data in UK Biobank. Birthweight results were consistent with prenatal maternal effects. Education results suggested unexpectedly large prenatal associations; simulations showed that adoption by relatives could partly account for this pattern.
Limitations: Unknown kinship between birth and adoptive families can complicate an adoption design. A simulated explanation is not confirmation of participants’ family histories. This methodological analysis is not adoptee testimony or evidence that adoption itself changes educational outcomes. UK Biobank publications overlap.
- Research type
- Genetic methodology and cohort analysis
- Source reviewed
- Abstract
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Age group
- Adults / Older adults
Study context and review
Age group as recorded: Adults / older adults
Adoption context: Mixed adoption pathways
Programme: UK Biobank
Institutional context: No relationship identified in the material checked
No adoption-sector organisational relationship identified from metadata reviewed. Funding and conflicts were not comprehensively audited; this is not confirmation of institutional independence.
Bibliographic screening. Bibliographic relationships are not a bias or safety rating.
Topics: education, genetics, Prenatal exposure, research methodology
Review scope: Source checked: Abstract. This does not imply full-text or independent human verification.
Country as recorded: United Kingdom
- Funding
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Commissioner
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Funder role
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Declared conflicts
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Recruitment
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Adoptee involvement
- Not yet checked for this entry
Entry: study_9bf65db59db301ab