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D W Fulker

Publications and source records attributed to D W Fulker.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Multivariate path analysis of specific cognitive abilities in the Colorado Adoption Project: conditional path model of assortative mating.

A multivariate path model of genetic and environmental transmission employing a conditional path representation of assortative mating was fitted to specific cognitive abilities data from the Colorado Adoption Project and evaluated using a maximum-likelihood estimation procedure. In agreement with results obtained from a previous analysis of a smaller data set, significant genetic covariation among the cognitive variables was indicated and evidence for a general genetic factor was found. However, cultural transmission parameters are nonsignificant and environmental correlations among the measures are relatively small.

Adoption↗
PubMed1989

Quantitative genetic analysis of longitudinal trends in adoption designs with application to IQ in the Colorado Adoption Project.

A factor model is presented that provides for either multivariate or developmental specification of longitudinal genetic and environmental effects in the presence of assortative mating and cultural transmission. Delta path methods are employed for the treatment of assortative mating and selective placement effects. The proportions of genetic and environmental variance and covariance attributable to assortative mating and cultural transmission are modeled explicitly. The model was applied to cognitive ability data on 493 families in the Colorado Adoption Project by means of maximum-likelihood pedigree analysis. A test of the assumption of multivariate normality of error provided an additional model criterion beyond the log-likelihood ratio statistic. No significant effects were found for cultural transmission, genetic-environmental covariance, or selective placement. The results suggest that the phenotypic stability of IQ during early childhood is largely, if not entirely, genetic in origin and that these longitudinal genetic effects can be represented most parsimoniously in the form of developmental transmission.

Adoption↗
PubMed1988

Multiple regression analysis of twin data: etiology of deviant scores versus individual differences.

The multiple regression analysis of twin data in which a cotwin's score is predicted from a proband's score and the coefficient of relationship (the basic model) provides a statistically powerful test of genetic etiology. When an augmented model that also contains an interaction term is fitted to the same data set, direct estimates of heritability (h2) and the proportion of variance due to shared environmental influences (c2) are obtained. A simple transformation of selected twin data prior to regression analysis facilitates direct estimates of h2g (an index of the extent to which the difference between the mean of probands and that of the unselected population is heritable) and a test of the hypothesis that the etiology of deviant scores differs from that of variation within the normal range.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed1987

Path analysis of seven fear factors in adult twin and sibling pairs and their parents.

A multivariate path model of genetic and environmental transmission, used to derive expected covariances among adult twin and sibling pairs and their parents, was fitted to fear factor data from 250 twin families and 91 sibling families, with the use of a maximum-likelihood estimation procedure. The full model, with 259 free parameters, provides for parental cultural transmission, common twin and sibling environment, genotype-environment correlation, direct assortative mating, and genetic and environmental correlations. Significant effects were indicated for heritable transmission of common fears and phobias, and a single genetic factor accounted for most of the genetic covariance among the traits. Moderately high levels of common twin environment and a small effect for direct isomorphic marital assortment were also found. There was no evidence for cultural transmission, genotype-environment correlation, or common sibling environment.

Biometry↗
PubMed1986

Multiple regression analysis of twin data obtained from selected samples.

The multiple regression analysis of twin data in which a cotwin's score is predicted from that of a proband (the member of a twin pair selected because of a deviant score) and the coefficient of relationship provides a powerful test of genetic etiology (DeFries and Fulker: Behav Genet 15:467-473, 1985). Moreover, when an augmented model containing an interaction term is fitted to the same data set, direct estimates of heritability (h2) and the proportion of variance owing to shared environmental influences (c2) are also obtained. In the present paper, the expected partial regression coefficients estimated from these models are derived, and the flexibility of the general approach is illustrated. An extended model is formulated for the analysis of data from combined samples of affected and control twin pairs that yields tests for differential h2 and c2 in the two groups as well as pooled estimates of these parameters. The application of these models is illustrated by an analysis of data from reading-disabled and control twin pairs. Because of the ease, flexibility, and utility of the multiple regression analysis of twin data, it is an appealing alternative to more traditional model-fitting approaches.

Diseases in Twins↗
PubMed1986

Altruism and aggression: the heritability of individual differences.

Five questionnaires measuring altruistic and aggressive tendencies were completed by 573 adult twin pairs of both sexes from the University of London Institute of Psychiatry Volunteer Twin Register. The questionnaires measured altruism, empathy, nurturance, aggressiveness, and assertiveness. The intraclass correlations for the five scales, respectively, were .53, .54, .49, .40, and .52 for 296 monozygotic pairs, and .25, .20, .14, .04, and .20 for 179 same-sex dizygotic pairs, resulting in broad heritability estimates of 56%, 68%, 70%, 72%, and 64%. Additional analyses, using maximum-likelihood model-fitting, revealed approximately 50% of the variance on each scale to be associated with genetic effects, virtually 0% with the twins' common environment, and the remaining 50% with each twins' specific environment and/or error associated with the test. Correcting for the unreliability in the tests raised the maximum-likelihood heritabilities to approximately 60%. Age and sex differences were also found: altruism increased over the age span from 19 to 60, whereas aggressiveness decreased, and, at each age, women had higher scores than men on altruism and lower scores on aggressiveness.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Longitudinal stability of cognitive ability from infancy to early childhood: genetic and environmental etiologies.

A path model of genetic and shared family environmental transmission was fitted to general cognitive ability data from 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old adopted and nonadopted children and their parents in order to assess the etiology of longitudinal stability from infancy to early childhood. Stability across years is moderate and is due mainly to influences not predicted by parental IQ. Results of the present study, in conjunction with those of previous twin studies, suggest substantial genetic stability from infancy and early childhood to adulthood.

Adoption↗
PubMed1984

A genetic and environmental analysis of a twin family study of alcohol use, anxiety, and depression.

Alcohol consumption, anxiety, and depression were measured by questionnaire in 572 twin families ascertained from the Institute of Psychiatry (London) normal twin register, each family consisting of an adult twin pair, their parents, and siblings--a total of 1,742 individuals. A multivariate normal model for pedigree analysis was applied to each variable, with power transformations fitted to maximise the fit with distributional assumptions. The effect of shared twin environment was estimated by considering the measured cohabitation history of twin pairs. For log-transformed alcohol consumption, amongst current drinkers this effect was the same for MZ and DZ pairs but depended on the cohabitation status of pairs. For both anxiety and depression the effect was clearly not the same for MZ and DZ pairs. Therefore the basic assumption of the classical twin method appears to be invalid for all three traits. Estimates of heritability derived from these analyses were compared with those obtained (1) by applying the classical twin method to twin data only, and (2) by a pedigree analysis ignoring the effect of shared twin environment. For all variables there were considerable differences between estimates based on the three models. This study illustrates that data from twins and their relatives which includes information on cohabitation history might distinguish shared genes and shared environment as causes of familial aggregation. In these behavioral traits the effect of shared twin environment may depend on zygosity and play a major role in explaining familial aggregation in twin family data.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Differences in the stereotypy response but not the hypomotility response to apomorphine in the Roman High and Low avoiding strains of rats.

Two experiments were carried out to investigate differences in the behavioural responses to "high" and "low" doses of apomorphine in two strains of rats selectively bred for high and low avoidance on a two-way active avoidance task: the Roman High and Low Avoiders. Significant strain differences were found in the stereotypy resulting from a high dose of apomorphine (2 mg/kg s.c.). In a second experiment no strain differences were, however, apparent for the hypomotility produced by low doses of the drug (0.05 mg/kg s.c.). Pretreatment with a low dose of apomorphine had no effect on the stereotypy response when the animals were subsequently retested with the high dose. These results may indicate differential sensitivities of dopamine receptors in these strains.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1984

A diallel analysis of nicotine-induced hypothermia.

The hypothermic responses of mice that occur after acute injection of nicotine show genetic influences. The body temperatures of mice of all five strains tested decreased after injection of either 0.75 or 1.5 mg/kg nicotine, but mice of the C3H strain were less affected than were those of the DBA, BALB, or C57BL strains. Mice of the A strain were the most sensitive to nicotine's effects. Genetic effects on nicotine-induced hypothermia were further examined using a five-by-five diallel cross. Additive genetic variance occurred at both nicotine doses. Substantial dominance variance, including directional dominance toward a large hypothermic response induced by injection of a low dose of nicotine (0.75 mg/kg), suggested that an intense response to a low drug dose is adaptive. The directional dominance was absent after treatment with a high dose (1.5 mg/kg) of the drug. Epistatic interactions occurring in crosses involving C57BL mice were pronounced.

Alleles↗