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'''Twin studies''' can help determine the proportion of cases of a disease that are due to inherited versus environmental factors.<ref name="pmid9205666">{{cite journal |author=Hawkes CH |title=Twin studies in medicine--what do they tell us? |journal=QJM |volume=90 |issue=5 |pages=311–21 |year=1997 |pmid=9205666 |doi=}}</ref>
'''Twin studies''' can help determine the proportion of cases of a disease that are due to inherited versus environmental factors.<ref name="pmid9205666">{{cite journal |author=Hawkes CH |title=Twin studies in medicine--what do they tell us? |journal=QJM |volume=90 |issue=5 |pages=311–21 |year=1997 |pmid=9205666 |doi=10.1093/qjmed/90.5.311}}</ref>
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==Classification==
==Classification==
Hawkes proposed the following types of twin studies:<ref name="pmid9205666">{{cite journal |author=Hawkes CH |title=Twin studies in medicine--what do they tell us? |journal=QJM |volume=90 |issue=5 |pages=311–21 |year=1997 |pmid=9205666 |doi=}}</ref>
Hawkes proposed the following types of twin studies:<ref name="pmid9205666"/>


===Classical twin method===
===Classical twin method===
The classical twin method compares outcome concordance rates in monozygotic and dizygotic twins.
The classical twin method compares outcome concordance rates in monozygotic and dizygotic twins. The classic twin study calculated the following measures:<ref>Spector, Tim D., Harold Snieder, and Alex J. MacGregor. 2000. Advances in Twin and Sib-pair Analysis. 1st ed. Greenwich Medical Media. ISBN 1841100048</ref>
* A: additive genetic variance
* D: dominance genetic variance
* C: common environmental variance
* E: unique environmental variance
 
Inheritability is the difference in concordance rates between the monozygotic and dizygotic twins. For example if 100% of the pairs of monozygotic twins are concordant whereas 50% of the  dizygotic twins are concordant, then the inheritability is 100%.<ref  name="pmid9205666"/><ref  name="pmid1621065">{{cite journal| author=McGue M| title=When assessing twin concordance, use the probandwise not the pairwise rate. | journal=Schizophr Bull | year= 1992 | volume= 18 | issue= 2 | pages= 171-6 | pmid=1621065 |doi=10.1093/schbul/18.2.171| url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=clinical.uthscsa.edu/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=1621065 }} </ref>
:<math>\text{Inheritability} = 2*\left(r_\text{monozygotic} - r_\text{dizygotic}\right)</math>
Where r = "the correlation of liability  derived from the concordance rate."<ref  name="pmid9205666"/><ref  name="pmid1621065"/>


===Co-twin control method===
===Co-twin control method===
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Twin studies assume that monozygous and dizygous twins have similar prenatal environments; however, the fetal environments of monozygous and dizygous twins may differ.<ref name="pmid8096890">{{cite journal |author=Phillips DI |title=Twin studies in medical research: can they tell us whether diseases are genetically determined? |journal=Lancet |volume=341 |issue=8851 |pages=1008–9 |year=1993 |pmid=8096890 |doi=}}</ref><ref name="pmid12269999">{{cite journal |author=Sørensen TI |title=Contributions and potentials of Swedish twin research |journal=J. Intern. Med. |volume=252 |issue=3 |pages=181–3 |year=2002 |pmid=12269999 |doi=}}</ref>
Twin studies assume that monozygous and dizygous twins have similar prenatal environments; however, the fetal environments of monozygous and dizygous twins may differ.<ref name="pmid8096890">{{cite journal |author=Phillips DI |title=Twin studies in medical research: can they tell us whether diseases are genetically determined? |journal=Lancet |volume=341 |issue=8851 |pages=1008–9 |year=1993 |pmid=8096890 |doi=}}</ref><ref name="pmid12269999">{{cite journal |author=Sørensen TI |title=Contributions and potentials of Swedish twin research |journal=J. Intern. Med. |volume=252 |issue=3 |pages=181–3 |year=2002 |pmid=12269999 |doi=}}</ref>


As a separate problem, about one third of monozygotic twins are dichorionic. Dichorionic type twins have separate sets of fetal membranes due to their common ovum having divided at an early stage.<ref name="pmid8096890">{{cite journal |author=Phillips DI |title=Twin studies in medical research: can they tell us whether diseases are genetically determined? |journal=Lancet |volume=341 |issue=8851 |pages=1008–9 |year=1993 |pmid=8096890 |doi=}}</ref> The importance of this can be shown in studies that find different rates of concordance between monozygotic twins that are monochorionic verus dichorionic.<ref name="pmid11360946">{{cite journal |author=Loos RJ, Beunen G, Fagard R, Derom C, Vlietinck R, Phillips DI |title=Twin studies and estimates of heritability |journal=Lancet |volume=357 |issue=9266 |pages=1445 |year=2001 |pmid=11360946 |doi=}}</ref> Some experts propose that twin studies should exclude monozygotic monochorionic pairs and monozygous dichorionic pairs with different birthweights.<ref name="pmid8096890">{{cite journal |author=Phillips DI |title=Twin studies in medical research: can they tell us whether diseases are genetically determined? |journal=Lancet |volume=341 |issue=8851 |pages=1008–9 |year=1993 |pmid=8096890 |doi=}}</ref>
As a separate problem, about one third of monozygotic twins are dichorionic. Dichorionic type twins have separate sets of fetal membranes due to their common ovum having divided at an early stage.<ref name="pmid8096890">{{cite journal |author=Phillips DI |title=Twin studies in medical research: can they tell us whether diseases are genetically determined? |journal=Lancet |volume=341 |issue=8851 |pages=1008–9 |year=1993 |pmid=8096890 |doi=}}</ref> The importance of this can be shown in studies that find different rates of concordance between monozygotic twins that are monochorionic verus dichorionic.<ref name="pmid11360946">{{cite journal |author=Loos RJ, Beunen G, Fagard R, Derom C, Vlietinck R, Phillips DI |title=Twin studies and estimates of heritability |journal=Lancet |volume=357 |issue=9266 |pages=1445 |year=2001 |pmid=11360946 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(00)04594-3}}</ref> Some experts propose that twin studies should exclude monozygotic monochorionic pairs and monozygous dichorionic pairs with different birthweights.<ref name="pmid8096890">{{cite journal |author=Phillips DI |title=Twin studies in medical research: can they tell us whether diseases are genetically determined? |journal=Lancet |volume=341 |issue=8851 |pages=1008–9 |year=1993 |pmid=8096890 |doi=}}</ref>


===Methods of recruiting twins for study===
===Methods of recruiting twins for study===
Twins should be recruited from regional and national registries such as the Swedish Twin Registry.<ref name="pmid12270000">{{cite journal |author=Lichtenstein P, De Faire U, Floderus B, Svartengren M, Svedberg P, Pedersen NL |title=The Swedish Twin Registry: a unique resource for clinical, epidemiological and genetic studies |journal=J. Intern. Med. |volume=252 |issue=3 |pages=184–205 |year=2002 |pmid=12270000 |doi=}}</ref>. Recruiting volunteer pairs may bias towards monozygotic concordance.<ref name="pmid9205666">{{cite journal |author=Hawkes CH |title=Twin studies in medicine--what do they tell us? |journal=QJM |volume=90 |issue=5 |pages=311–21 |year=1997 |pmid=9205666 |doi=}}</ref>
Twins should be recruited from regional and national registries such as the Swedish Twin Registry.<ref name="pmid12270000">{{cite journal |author=Lichtenstein P, De Faire U, Floderus B, Svartengren M, Svedberg P, Pedersen NL |title=The Swedish Twin Registry: a unique resource for clinical, epidemiological and genetic studies |journal=J. Intern. Med. |volume=252 |issue=3 |pages=184–205 |year=2002 |pmid=12270000 |doi=}}</ref>. Recruiting volunteer pairs may bias towards monozygotic concordance.<ref name="pmid9205666"/>


==References==
==References==
<small>
<references/>
<references/>
</small>
==External links==
* [http://depts.washington.edu/uwccer/twin-registry/about-registry/ University of Washington Twin Registry]
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Twin studies can help determine the proportion of cases of a disease that are due to inherited versus environmental factors.[1]

Classification

Hawkes proposed the following types of twin studies:[1]

Classical twin method

The classical twin method compares outcome concordance rates in monozygotic and dizygotic twins. The classic twin study calculated the following measures:[2]

  • A: additive genetic variance
  • D: dominance genetic variance
  • C: common environmental variance
  • E: unique environmental variance

Inheritability is the difference in concordance rates between the monozygotic and dizygotic twins. For example if 100% of the pairs of monozygotic twins are concordant whereas 50% of the dizygotic twins are concordant, then the inheritability is 100%.[1][3]

Where r = "the correlation of liability derived from the concordance rate."[1][3]

Co-twin control method

In the co-twin control method, discordant monozygotic are closely compared which creates matched pair control. In this design, a single pair of twins may sometimes suffice.

Biometrical genetic methods

Problems with twin studies

Prenatal environment

Twin studies assume that monozygous and dizygous twins have similar prenatal environments; however, the fetal environments of monozygous and dizygous twins may differ.[4][5]

As a separate problem, about one third of monozygotic twins are dichorionic. Dichorionic type twins have separate sets of fetal membranes due to their common ovum having divided at an early stage.[4] The importance of this can be shown in studies that find different rates of concordance between monozygotic twins that are monochorionic verus dichorionic.[6] Some experts propose that twin studies should exclude monozygotic monochorionic pairs and monozygous dichorionic pairs with different birthweights.[4]

Methods of recruiting twins for study

Twins should be recruited from regional and national registries such as the Swedish Twin Registry.[7]. Recruiting volunteer pairs may bias towards monozygotic concordance.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Hawkes CH (1997). "Twin studies in medicine--what do they tell us?". QJM 90 (5): 311–21. DOI:10.1093/qjmed/90.5.311. PMID 9205666. Research Blogging.
  2. Spector, Tim D., Harold Snieder, and Alex J. MacGregor. 2000. Advances in Twin and Sib-pair Analysis. 1st ed. Greenwich Medical Media. ISBN 1841100048
  3. 3.0 3.1 McGue M (1992). "When assessing twin concordance, use the probandwise not the pairwise rate.". Schizophr Bull 18 (2): 171-6. DOI:10.1093/schbul/18.2.171. PMID 1621065. Research Blogging.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Phillips DI (1993). "Twin studies in medical research: can they tell us whether diseases are genetically determined?". Lancet 341 (8851): 1008–9. PMID 8096890[e]
  5. Sørensen TI (2002). "Contributions and potentials of Swedish twin research". J. Intern. Med. 252 (3): 181–3. PMID 12269999[e]
  6. Loos RJ, Beunen G, Fagard R, Derom C, Vlietinck R, Phillips DI (2001). "Twin studies and estimates of heritability". Lancet 357 (9266): 1445. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)04594-3. PMID 11360946. Research Blogging.
  7. Lichtenstein P, De Faire U, Floderus B, Svartengren M, Svedberg P, Pedersen NL (2002). "The Swedish Twin Registry: a unique resource for clinical, epidemiological and genetic studies". J. Intern. Med. 252 (3): 184–205. PMID 12270000[e]

External links