title: The Adult Netherlands Twin Register: twenty-five years of survey and biological data collection.
abstract: Over the past 25 years, the Adult Netherlands Twin Register (ANTR) has collected a wealth of information on physical and mental health, lifestyle, and personality in adolescents and adults. This article provides an overview of the sources of information available, the main research findings, and an outlook for the future. Between 1991 and 2012, longitudinal surveys were completed by twins, their parents, siblings, spouses, and offspring. Data are available for 33,957 participants, with most individuals having completed two or more surveys. Smaller projects provided in-depth phenotyping, including measurements of the autonomic nervous system, neurocognitive function, and brain imaging. For 46% of the ANTR participants, DNA samples are available and whole genome scans have been obtained in more than 11,000 individuals. These data have resulted in numerous studies on heritability, gene x environment interactions, and causality, as well as gene finding studies. In the future, these studies will continue with collection of additional phenotypes, such as metabolomic and telomere length data, and detailed genetic information provided by DNA and RNA sequencing. Record linkage to national registers will allow the study of morbidity and mortality, thus providing insight into the development of health, lifestyle, and behavior across the lifespan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.h.m.willemsen@vu.nl
authors.forename: Gonneke
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Willemsen
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vink
authors.forename: Abdel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdellaoui
authors.forename: Anouk
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: den Braber
authors.forename: Jenny H D A
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: van Beek
authors.forename: Harmen H M
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Draisma
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Dongen
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van 't Ent
authors.forename: Lot M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Geels
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Lien
authors.forename: Lannie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ligthart
authors.forename: Mathijs
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kattenberg
authors.forename: Hamdi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mbarek
authors.forename: Marleen H M
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: de Moor
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neijts
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pool
authors.forename: Natascha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stroo
authors.forename: Cornelis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kluft
authors.forename: H Eka D
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Suchiman
authors.forename: P Eline
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Slagboom
authors.forename: Eco J C
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: de Geus
authors.forename: Dorret I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Boomsma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D035843:Biomedical Research; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult