SRCLD Presentation Details
  Title  
       
    Imaging genetics studies of reading and language: Promises and perils?  
Author(s)
Nicole Landi - University of Connecticut

SRCLD Info
SRCLD Year: 2019
Presentation Type: Invited Speaker
Presentation Time: (na)
Abstract
Reading and Reading Disability (RD) are highly heritable, however, only a small proportion of the variance in reading behavior can be accounted for by variation in identified risk genes. Disruption in the neurodevelopmental function of genes is a likely source of the complex behavioral profiles observed in RD, however, the specific pathways from gene to behavior remain largely underspecified. The emerging field of neuroimaging genetics seeks to identify relationships between genetic and behavioral markers of disorders through the establishment of intermediate phenotypes at the neural level (e.g., atypical brain structure). Neuroimaging genetics findings provide some compelling evidence for links among specific genes, brain structure and/or function, and reading phenotypes. In addition to RD, neuroimaging genetic approaches have been utilized to study developmental disorders that commonly co-occur with RD. Specifically, many children with RD also have broader language deficits and are considered to have developmental language disorder (DLD). Due to high comorbidity rates of RD and DLD, and overlap in deficits such as phonological processing, there is increasing interest in studying the neural and genetic bases of these disorders in parallel. Identification of common intermediate phenotypes through neuroimaging genetics approaches may lead to better understanding of why these disorders co-occur.
In my talk, I will introduce neuroimaging genetics approaches and provide an overview of recent findings from my lab. I will also discuss important limitations of this approach. Specifically, although this work has provided a useful lens for investigating mechanisms that may link genes to behavior in neurodevelopmental disorders, the problem of missing heritability persists and the field is plagued by replication issues. In my conclusion, I will discuss some ideas for new approaches (i.e., those that consider gene by environment interactions) that may move the field forward. Funding for this work was provided by the following NIH grants: P50HD052120; P01 HD01994; R21DA030665; R03HD053409; R01HD065794.
Author Biosketch(es)