Behavioral Genetics Clicker Questions Final

Polygenic risk scores reflect: 

1. A genome-wide scan of genetic variants associated with a trait of interest

2. The test to see if a specific gene is associate with a trait of interest

3. An individual’s estimated genetic risk for a trait, calculated using the sum of their DNA (their genotypes) multiplied by GWAS estimates for that trait

4. A way to infer causality between two traits using genetic variants that are only directly associated with one of the traits 

C. An individual’s estimated genetic risk for a trait, calculated using the sum of their DNA (their genotypes) multiplied by GWAS estimates for that trait

Polygenic risk scores are most predictive when using what portion of the genome?

1. Only common variants

2. Only rare variants

3. Only genome-wide significant variants

4. All available variants 

4

Mendelian randomization (MR) reflects: 

1. A genome-wide scan of genetic variants associated with a trait of interest

2. The test to see if a specific gene is associate with a trait of interest

3. An individual’s estimated genetic risk for a trait, calculated using the sum of their DNA (their genotypes) multiplied by GWAS estimates for that trait

4. A method for inferring causality between two traits using genetic variants that are only directly associated with one of the traits 

4

The original IQ test was created by: 

1. Alfred Binet

2. John Stanford

3. James Flynn

4. Ben Weschler

Alfred Binet

The Flynn effect describes the observation that:  

1. IQ is a fixed measures of our genetic fate

2. IQ has been increasing over the last century

3. IQ is only a useful measure in children

4. IQ does not change across environment

IQ has been increasing over the last century

On average, the heritability of IQ is: 

1. 0%

2. 25%

3. 50%

4. 75%

5. 100%

50%

The heritability of IQ increases: 

1. At higher ages

2. In higher SES environments

3. When you have more siblings

4. A and B

B

The Flynn effect, the increase in average IQ over the last century, may be because of:

1.  Increased access to education 

2. Greater familiarity with standardized testing

3. Other environmental shifts (e.g., removal of lead paint, iodized salt in diet)

4. All of the above

All of the above

The two-group model of intellectual disability (ID) states that severe intellectual disability is likely to reflect causes that are: 

1. Shared across family members

2. Shared only across monozygotic twins

3. Entirely unknown 

4. Specific to the individual (not shared in familial risk pathways)

Specific to the individual (not shared in familial risk pathways)

The most recent PGS for EA4 predicts what level of variance in how far you go in school?

1. 0.1-0.3%

2. 1-3%

3. 12-16%

4. 20-30%

12-16%

The genetic signal for EA picks up on: 

1. Only your genetic signal for IQ

2. A mixture of genetic signal for cognitive and non-cognitive components

3. Only personality traits

4. Only genetic signal for early brain development

A mixture of genetic signal for cognitive and non-cognitive components

The polygenic score for the fourth wave of educational attainment GWAS (EA4) predicts what percentage of the variance? 

1. ~1%

2. ~5%

3. ~15%

4. ~30%

15%

The two-group model of intellectual disability (ID) states that mild intellectual disability is likely to reflect causes that are: 

1. Shared across family members

2. Due to environmental trauma

3. Entirely unknown 

4. Specific to the individual (not shared in familial risk pathways)

Shared across family members

The heritability of IQ shifts across: 

1. No contexts (it is fixed)

2. Socioeconomic status

3. Age (development)

4. B and C

B and C

We are currently on what edition of the DSM? 

1. 3

2. 5

3. 6

4. 7

5

RNA sequencing is a method for measuring levels of: 

1. Gene expression

2. Epigenetics

3. Methylation 

4. Centimorgans

Gene expresion

Twin studies show that schizophrenia is more heritable than major depressive disorder. 

1. True

2. False

True

The fact that GWAS studies do not explain all of the heritability from twin studies is called: 

1. Phenotypic inheritance

2. Missing Heritability

3. Polygenic disappearance

4. Mendelian randomization

Missing heritability

Potential reasons for missing heritability include: 

1. Rare variant signal not captured by GWAS

2. Genetic subgroups within overarching diagnostic categories

3. Poor measurement of the disorders when assessing large numbers of participants

4. All of the above

All of the above

There are no specific risk pathways for different substances

1. True

2. False

False

The strongest genetic variants for cigarette use are in: 

1. Opioid use receptor genes

2. Alcohol dehydrogenase genes

3. Nicotinic receptor genes

4. All of the above

Nicotonic receptor genes

There are some shared risk pathways across substances

1. True

2. False

True

Mendelian randomization results demonstrate that for the relationship between major depression and alcohol use that: 

1. Major depression is causal for increased alcohol use

2. Alcohol use is causal for increased for major depression

3. Neither are causal for one another

4. A and B

A

Polysubstance use disorder was removed from the DSM5

1. True

2. False

True

The same genes affect your propensity to start using a substance, to continue using a substance, and to develop a substance use disorder.  

1. True

2. False

False

A meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization results found that: 

1. There was a small causal effect of cannabis use on schizophrenia

2. There was a larger causal effect of schizophrenia on cannabis use

3. These two traits are not causally related

4. A and B

A and B

Candidate gene studies involve: 

1. A scan of the entire genome to identify genetic variants associated with a trait of interest 

2. A single gene that is investigated based on existing theories

3. An examination of familial patterns of inheritance 

4. An attempt to use patterns of recombination to identify the location of a gene

2

Genome-wide association studies involve: 

1. A scan of the entire genome to identify genetic variants associated with a trait of interest 

2. A single gene that is investigated based on existing theories

3. An examination of familial patterns of inheritance

4. An attempt to use patterns of recombination to identify the location of a gene

A

Your karyotype refers to: 

1. Whether you have a specific version of a gene

2. Your chromosomal makeup (e.g., XX sex chromosomes) 

3. Your genotype

4. Your risk for developing a disorder

2

The rank ordering of personality characteristics compared to same-aged peers is relatively stable across the life course: 

1. True

2. False

True

Shy once still shy

Personality characteristics change across the life course:

1. True

2. False

True

Shyess goes down but still shy

Same relative to peers but not same relative to your self

The XXY karyotype is a form of: 

1. Partial trisomy

2. Monosomy

3. Aneuploidy

4. Partial deletion

1. Aneuploidy

The heritability of IQ is lower in low SES environments compared to high SES environments

A. rGE

B. GxE

GxE (cross environments and heritability is changing)

Children with a genetic risk for ADHD are more likely to elicit a negative response from elementary school teachers

A. rGE

B. GxE

RgE (evocative→ genetic predisposition evokes response from teacher)

If we find that the heritability of ADHD is higher in classrooms with a larger student to teacher ratio this would be an example of:

Passive gene-environment correlation

Active gene-environment correlation

Evocative gene-environment correlation

Gene x environment interaction

Gxe (heritability is changing)

As children, musicians were more likely than non-musicians to choose to spend their free time practicing music.

A. Passive

B. Reactive/Evocative

C. Active

Active RgE

In a twin study, the number of negative life events was genetically correlated with depression.

A. Passive

B. Evocative

C. Active

D. Can’t tell

Can’t tell (we don’t know from twin models_

The correlation between chaotic family environment and behavior problems was found to be higher in nonadoptive than adoptive families.

A. Passive

B. Evocative

C. Active

D. Can’t tell

Passive

The BRCA mutations that are associated with breast cancer are:

Present in 1 in 2,500 women

Carry a risk for developing breast cancer of 30%

When tested for reflect a form of presymptomatic testing

None of the above

None of the above

The process where maternal and paternal chromosomes exchange genetic information during meiosis is known as:

Linkage disequilibrium

Recombination

Methylation

Epigenetics

Recombination

For an X-linked dominant condition (e.g., Fragile X) if the father has the mutation what is the probability that biological female offspring will have the disease?

25%

50%

75%

100%

100%

Our genome does not change across our life, therefore heritability does not change.

True

False

False

The heritability of a trait can be denoted using the term:

a2

A

h2

all of the above

All of the above

Heritability of the environment indicates what form of rGE?

A. passive rGE

B. evocative rGE

C. Active rGE

D. Can’t tell

Can’t tell

rMZt (MZ twins raised together) = .57; rDZt (DZ twins raised together) = .33

What information can we get from these correlations?

a2, c2, and e2

Only a2 and c2

Only a2

Only c2

None of these. We need more information!

A c and e

rMZt (MZ twins raised together) = .50; rDZt (DZ twins raised together) = .30

What is the heritability of the trait?

20%

30%

40%

50%

2(rmz-rdz)=40

Falconer model slide

When a particular gene is silenced by methylation in a parent-of-origin specific manner this is known as:

Histone marks

X-chromosome inactivation

Genomic imprinting

Genetic reprogramming

Genomic imprinting

What is the technology used to sequence both common and rare variants in protein coding regions.

Genome-wide association study

Whole genome sequencing

Whole exome sequencing

Epigenome wide association study

Whole exome sequencing

If adoptive siblings are correlated on a trait at .4, what is the contribution of c²? 

1. .2

2. .4

3. .6

4. .8

.4

If biological siblings reared apart are correlated on a trait at .4, what is the contribution of A?

.2

.4

.6

.8

.8