title: Lack of replication for the myosin-18B association with mathematical ability in independent cohorts.
abstract: Twin studies indicate that dyscalculia (or mathematical disability) is caused partly by a genetic component, which is yet to be understood at the molecular level. Recently, a coding variant (rs133885) in the myosin-18B gene was shown to be associated with mathematical abilities with a specific effect among children with dyslexia. This association represents one of the most significant genetic associations reported to date for mathematical abilities and the only one reaching genome-wide statistical significance. We conducted a replication study in different cohorts to assess the effect of rs133885 maths-related measures. The study was conducted primarily using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), (N = 3819). We tested additional cohorts including the York Cohort, the Specific Language Impairment Consortium (SLIC) cohort and the Raine Cohort, and stratified them for a definition of dyslexia whenever possible. We did not observe any associations between rs133885 in myosin-18B and mathematical abilities among individuals with dyslexia or in the general population. Our results suggest that the myosin-18B variant is unlikely to be a main factor contributing to mathematical abilities.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pettigrew
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Fajutrao Valles
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Northstone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pennell
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leavett
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hayiou-Thomas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: A J O
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Whitehouse
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Snowling
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Newbury
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paracchini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D060705:Dyscalculia / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009218:Myosins / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C500982:MYO18B protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D009218:Myosins
keywords: ALSPAC; cognitive abilities; dyscalculia; dyslexia; genetic association; neurodevelopmental disorders