Genes and cognition

Susanna Pietropaolo, Wim E. Crusio
WIREs Cogn Sci. 2010-12-23; 2(3): 345-352
DOI: 10.1002/wcs.135

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Pietropaolo S(1), Crusio WE(1).

Author information:
(1)Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine (INCIA), UMR 5228, Université de Bordeaux and CNRS, Talence, France.

Explaining individual differences in human cognition has been a prominent goal of
psychological research during the last century. Converging lines of evidence from
human and animal research have shown that these differences are under the
influence of genetic factors. However, identifying the specific genes involved is
not an easy task. The complexities of the human genome and of the definition of
the concept of cognition itself are obvious reasons why understanding the
genetics of cognitive abilities is so complicated. About 20,000 genes are thought
to have an impact on the development and functionality of the brain and each and
every one of these may in fact have an effect on information processing, and
therefore on cognition. In addition, the concept of cognition itself is very
broad and has often been the subject of intense debate. It is therefore important
to provide a precise definition of the cognitive phenotype before analyzing the
genetic influences acting on it. Furthermore, the genetics of cognition can be
investigated by multiple approaches that can be applied not only to human, but
also to animal research. An overview of these methods and some of the results
obtained is provided in an attempt to highlight the multidisciplinary complexity
of studying the genetic bases of human cognition. Furthermore, some directions
for future studies are suggested, highlighting the importance of analyzing
gene-environment interactions and avoiding deterministic approaches. WIREs Cogni
Sci 2011 2 345-352 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.135 For further resources related to this
article, please visit the WIREs website.

Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

 

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