title: The role of common genetic variation in educational attainment and income: evidence from the National Child Development Study.
abstract: We investigated the role of common genetic variation in educational attainment and household income. We used data from 5,458 participants of the National Child Development Study to estimate: 1) the associations of rs9320913, rs11584700 and rs4851266 and socioeconomic position and educational phenotypes; and 2) the univariate chip-heritability of each phenotype, and the genetic correlation between each phenotype and educational attainment at age 16. The three SNPs were associated with most measures of educational attainment. Common genetic variation contributed to 6 of 14 socioeconomic background phenotypes, and 17 of 29 educational phenotypes. We found evidence of genetic correlations between educational attainment at age 16 and 4 of 14 social background and 8 of 28 educational phenotypes. This suggests common genetic variation contributes both to differences in educational attainment and its relationship with other phenotypes. However, we remain cautious that cryptic population structure, assortative mating, and dynastic effects may influence these associations.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Barley House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Neil M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Barley House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Gibran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hemani
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Barley House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nic J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Timpson
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.|Department of Economics, University of Bristol, 8 Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1TN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Windmeijer
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Barley House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davey Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D054238:Perinatal Mortality; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult