ERIC Number: EJ735249
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Jul
Pages: 26
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-2909
EISSN: N/A
Generalist Genes and Learning Disabilities
Plomin, Robert; Kovas, Yulia
Psychological Bulletin, v131 n4 p592-617 Jul 2005
The authors reviewed recent quantitative genetic research on learning disabilities that led to the conclusion that genetic diagnoses differ from traditional diagnoses in that the effects of relevant genes are largely general rather than specific. This research suggests that most genes associated with common learning disabilities--language impairment, reading disability, and mathematics disability--are generalists in 3 ways. First, genes that affect common learning disabilities are largely the same genes responsible for normal variation in learning abilities. Second, genes that affect any aspect of a learning disability affect other aspects of the disability. Third, genes that affect one learning disability are also likely to affect other learning disabilities. These quantitative genetic findings have far-reaching implications for molecular genetics and neuroscience as well as psychology.
Descriptors: Learning Disabilities, Genetics, Neuropsychology, Clinical Diagnosis, Reading Difficulties, Language Impairments, Mathematics Skills
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Publication Type: Information Analyses; Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A