Multivariate genetic analyses test for the presence of a general ‘n’ factor underlying neurodevelopmental conditions
Morgan James Morgan, Margherita Malanchini, Elise B Robinson, Angelica Ronald · 2026
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Description
Morgan James Morgan and three co-authors test a big idea in the genetics of childhood brain conditions: that one shared genetic factor sits under all of them. Conditions such as autism and ADHD often overlap and share genetic links, so a single factor, nicknamed n, seemed plausible. The team worked from summary results of large genome-wide studies, which scan the whole genome for linked variants.
Using a modelling method that fits shared factors to genetic data, the team found that a single common factor fit the data poorly. A two-factor model fit best instead, which points to more than one genetic route into these conditions. One telling result involved age at first walking, whose genetic links pulled in opposite directions for ADHD and autism. The authors conclude that lumping all neurodevelopmental conditions into one genetic bucket would mislead research and diagnosis.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Morgan James Morgan, Margherita Malanchini, Elise B Robinson, Angelica Ronald |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 42 KB |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |