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The providential randomisation of genotypes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 September 2023

Jean-Baptiste Pingault
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK j.pingault@ucl.ac.uk www.jeanbaptistepingault.com p.fearon@ucl.ac.uk https://www.cfr.cam.ac.uk/staff/professor-pasco-fearon e.viding@ucl.ac.uk https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/people/essi-viding
Pasco Fearon
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK j.pingault@ucl.ac.uk www.jeanbaptistepingault.com p.fearon@ucl.ac.uk https://www.cfr.cam.ac.uk/staff/professor-pasco-fearon e.viding@ucl.ac.uk https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/people/essi-viding
Essi Viding
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK j.pingault@ucl.ac.uk www.jeanbaptistepingault.com p.fearon@ucl.ac.uk https://www.cfr.cam.ac.uk/staff/professor-pasco-fearon e.viding@ucl.ac.uk https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/people/essi-viding
Neil Davies
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK Neil.Davies@bristol.ac.uk https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/neil-m-davies marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/marcus-r-munafo KZ.Davey-Smith@bristol.ac.uk https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/George-Davey%20Smith-285dce3f-4498-4e97-82de-250a865b4483/ Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Torgarden, Norway
Marcus R. Munafò
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK Neil.Davies@bristol.ac.uk https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/neil-m-davies marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/marcus-r-munafo KZ.Davey-Smith@bristol.ac.uk https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/George-Davey%20Smith-285dce3f-4498-4e97-82de-250a865b4483/
George Davey Smith
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK Neil.Davies@bristol.ac.uk https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/neil-m-davies marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/marcus-r-munafo KZ.Davey-Smith@bristol.ac.uk https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/George-Davey%20Smith-285dce3f-4498-4e97-82de-250a865b4483/

Abstract

When building causal knowledge in behavioural genetics, the natural randomisation of genotypes at conception (approximately analogous to the artificial randomisation occurring in randomised controlled trials) facilitates the discovery of genetic causes. More importantly, the randomisation of genetic material within families also enables a better identification of (environmental) risk factors and aetiological pathways to diseases and behaviours.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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