Using polygenic profiles to predict variation in language and psychosocial outcomes in early and middle childhood

TY - JOUR

T1 - Using polygenic profiles to predict variation in language and psychosocial outcomes in early and middle childhood

AU - Newbury, Dianne F

AU - Gibson, Jenny

AU - Conti-Ramsden, Gina

AU - Pickles, Andrew

AU - Durkin, Kevin

AU - Toseeb, Umar

N1 - This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.

PY - 2019/8/19

Y1 - 2019/8/19

N2 - Purpose: Children with poor language tend to have worse psychosocial outcomes compared to their typically developing peers. The most common explanations for such adversities focus on developmental psychological processes whereby poor language triggers psychosocial difficulties. Here we investigate the possibility of shared biological effects by considering whether the same genetic variants which are thought to influence language development are also predictors of elevated psychosocial difficulties during childhood. Method: Using data from the UK based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) we created a number of multi-SNP polygenic profile scores, based on language and reading candidate genes (ATP2C2, CMIP, CNTNAP2, DCDC2, FOXP2, & KIAA0319, 1229 SNPs) in a sample of 5,435 children. Results: A polygenic profile score for expressive language (8 years) that was created in a discovery sample (n=2,718), predicted not only expressive language (8 years), but also peer problems (11 years) in a replication sample (n=2,717). Conclusions: These findings provide a proof of concept for the use of such a polygenic approach in child language research when larger datasets become available. Our indicative findings suggest consideration should be given to concurrent intervention targeting both linguistic and psychosocial development as early language interventions may not stave off later psychosocial difficulties in children.

AB - Purpose: Children with poor language tend to have worse psychosocial outcomes compared to their typically developing peers. The most common explanations for such adversities focus on developmental psychological processes whereby poor language triggers psychosocial difficulties. Here we investigate the possibility of shared biological effects by considering whether the same genetic variants which are thought to influence language development are also predictors of elevated psychosocial difficulties during childhood. Method: Using data from the UK based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) we created a number of multi-SNP polygenic profile scores, based on language and reading candidate genes (ATP2C2, CMIP, CNTNAP2, DCDC2, FOXP2, & KIAA0319, 1229 SNPs) in a sample of 5,435 children. Results: A polygenic profile score for expressive language (8 years) that was created in a discovery sample (n=2,718), predicted not only expressive language (8 years), but also peer problems (11 years) in a replication sample (n=2,717). Conclusions: These findings provide a proof of concept for the use of such a polygenic approach in child language research when larger datasets become available. Our indicative findings suggest consideration should be given to concurrent intervention targeting both linguistic and psychosocial development as early language interventions may not stave off later psychosocial difficulties in children.

KW - ALSPAC

KW - Polygenic Risk

KW - Language

KW - Developmental Language Disorder

KW - Social

KW - Emotional

KW - Conduct

KW - Hyperactivity

KW - Peer Problems

KW - Prosocial

KW - Psychopathology

U2 - 10.1044/2019_JSLHR-L-19-0001

DO - 10.1044/2019_JSLHR-L-19-0001

M3 - Article

SN - 1092-4388

VL - 62

SP - 3381

EP - 3396

JO - Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research (JSLHR)

JF - Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research (JSLHR)

ER -