title: Influence of age, sex and genetic factors on the human brain.
abstract: We report effects of age, age(2), sex and additive genetic factors on variability in gray matter thickness, surface area and white matter integrity in 1,010 subjects from the Genetics of Brain Structure and Function Study. Age was more strongly associated with gray matter thickness and fractional anisotropy of water diffusion in white matter tracts, while sex was more strongly associated with gray matter surface area. Widespread heritability of neuroanatomic traits was observed, suggesting that brain structure is under strong genetic control. Furthermore, our findings indicate that neuroimaging-based measurements of cerebral variability are sensitive to genetic mediation. Fundamental studies of genetic influence on the brain will help inform gene discovery initiatives in both clinical and normative samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George St., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA, david.mckay@yale.edu.
authors.forename: D Reese
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: Emma E M
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: Anderson A M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sprooten
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kochunov
authors.forename: Rene L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Olvera
authors.forename: Joanne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.forename: Jack W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: Melanie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carless
authors.forename: Harald H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Göring
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duggirala
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Almasy
authors.forename: Peter T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blangero
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Glahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D010641:Phenotype; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult