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      Large-scale GWAS reveals insights into the genetic architecture of same-sex sexual behavior

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          Abstract

          Twin and family studies have shown that same-sex sexual behavior is partly genetically influenced, but previous searches for specific genes involved have been underpowered. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 477,522 individuals, revealing five loci significantly associated with same-sex sexual behavior. In aggregate, all tested genetic variants accounted for 8 to 25% of variation in same-sex sexual behavior, only partially overlapped between males and females, and do not allow meaningful prediction of an individual’s sexual behavior. Comparing these GWAS results with those for the proportion of same-sex to total number of sexual partners among nonheterosexuals suggests that there is no single continuum from opposite-sex to same-sex sexual behavior. Overall, our findings provide insights into the genetics underlying same-sex sexual behavior and underscore the complexity of sexuality.

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          Most cited references45

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          Genome-wide association analyses of risk tolerance and risky behaviors in over 1 million individuals identify hundreds of loci and shared genetic influences

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            Parent-of-origin specific allelic associations among 106 genomic loci for age at menarche

            Age at menarche is a marker of timing of puberty in females. It varies widely between individuals, is a heritable trait and is associated with risks for obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and all-cause mortality 1 . Studies of rare human disorders of puberty and animal models point to a complex hypothalamic-pituitary-hormonal regulation 2,3 , but the mechanisms that determine pubertal timing and underlie its links to disease risk remain unclear. Here, using genome-wide and custom-genotyping arrays in up to 182,416 women of European descent from 57 studies, we found robust evidence (P<5×10−8) for 123 signals at 106 genomic loci associated with age at menarche. Many loci were associated with other pubertal traits in both sexes, and there was substantial overlap with genes implicated in body mass index and various diseases, including rare disorders of puberty. Menarche signals were enriched in imprinted regions, with three loci (DLK1/WDR25, MKRN3/MAGEL2 and KCNK9) demonstrating parent-of-origin specific associations concordant with known parental expression patterns. Pathway analyses implicated nuclear hormone receptors, particularly retinoic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid-B2 receptor signaling, among novel mechanisms that regulate pubertal timing in humans. Our findings suggest a genetic architecture involving at least hundreds of common variants in the coordinated timing of the pubertal transition.
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              GWAS of lifetime cannabis use reveals new risk loci, genetic overlap with psychiatric traits, and a causal influence of schizophrenia

              Cannabis use is a heritable trait that has been associated with adverse mental health outcomes. In the largest genome-wide association study for lifetime cannabis use to date (N=184,765), we identified 8 genome-wide significant independent single nucleotide polymorphisms in 6 regions. All measured genetic variants combined explained 11% of the variance. Gene-based tests revealed 35 significant genes in 16 regions, and S-PrediXcan analyses showed that 21 genes had different expression levels for cannabis users versus non-users. The strongest finding across the different analyses was CADM2 , which has been associated with substance use and risk-taking. Significant genetic correlations were found with 14 of 25 tested substance use and mental health traits, including smoking, alcohol use, schizophrenia, and risk-taking. Mendelian randomization analysis showed evidence for a causal positive influence of schizophrenia risk on cannabis use. Overall, our study gives new insights about the etiology of cannabis use and its relation with mental health.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Science
                Science
                American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
                0036-8075
                1095-9203
                August 29 2019
                August 30 2019
                August 29 2019
                August 30 2019
                : 365
                : 6456
                : eaat7693
                Article
                10.1126/science.aat7693
                31467194
                9d856b55-c609-4b27-8265-583daf62835b
                © 2019

                http://www.sciencemag.org/about/science-licenses-journal-article-reuse

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