Title |
Familial Linkage between Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Intellectual Interests
|
---|---|
Published in |
PLOS ONE, January 2012
|
DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0030405 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Benjamin C. Campbell, Samuel S.-H. Wang |
Abstract |
From personality to neuropsychiatric disorders, individual differences in brain function are known to have a strong heritable component. Here we report that between close relatives, a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders covary strongly with intellectual interests. We surveyed an entire class of high-functioning young adults at an elite university for prospective major, familial incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders, and demographic and attitudinal questions. Students aspiring to technical majors (science/mathematics/engineering) were more likely than other students to report a sibling with an autism spectrum disorder (p = 0.037). Conversely, students interested in the humanities were more likely to report a family member with major depressive disorder (p = 8.8×10(-4)), bipolar disorder (p = 0.027), or substance abuse problems (p = 1.9×10(-6)). A combined PREdisposition for Subject MattEr (PRESUME) score based on these disorders was strongly predictive of subject matter interests (p = 9.6×10(-8)). Our results suggest that shared genetic (and perhaps environmental) factors may both predispose for heritable neuropsychiatric disorders and influence the development of intellectual interests. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 34 | 31% |
United Kingdom | 15 | 14% |
Australia | 3 | 3% |
Netherlands | 2 | 2% |
Canada | 2 | 2% |
Sweden | 1 | <1% |
Argentina | 1 | <1% |
Greece | 1 | <1% |
Slovenia | 1 | <1% |
Other | 14 | 13% |
Unknown | 37 | 33% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 87 | 78% |
Scientists | 15 | 14% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 6 | 5% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 3 | 3% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 1 | <1% |
United States | 1 | <1% |
Canada | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 145 | 98% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Researcher | 24 | 16% |
Student > Master | 19 | 13% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 16 | 11% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 11 | 7% |
Student > Bachelor | 11 | 7% |
Other | 31 | 21% |
Unknown | 36 | 24% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Psychology | 52 | 35% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 19 | 13% |
Neuroscience | 9 | 6% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 8 | 5% |
Engineering | 3 | 2% |
Other | 19 | 13% |
Unknown | 38 | 26% |