Research from Global Twin Consortium Highlights the Interplay of Genes and Environment in Human Aging
A recent article, “The Interplay of Genes and Environment Across Multiple Studies (IGEMS) Consortium After Fifteen Years,” coauthored by psychology professors Robert F. Krueger and Matt McGue, points out how international collaborations are helping to answer the question of nature versus nurture in the context of aging.
The researchers used studies from many parts of the world to see how genes and the environment shape people as they grow older. Their data came from more than 145,000 twins across five countries and 21 long-term twin projects. Their findings, published in Twin Research and Human Genetics, show that getting older is not just about genes or just about the environment. Rather, how one ages depends on the ways in which genes and the environment work together. For decades, twin studies have helped researchers better understand the influence of both on a variety of factors (e.g., addiction, psychopathology, aging). While genetic factors are shown to play a major role in the aging process, Krueger’s and McGue’s collaborative efforts suggest that environmental influences can strengthen or weaken with age, helping to explain differences in health, cognitive abilities, and the risk of dementia later in life.
Robert Krueger, PhD, Hathaway Distinguished Professor, Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota, and a principal investigator with the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research (MCTFR).
Matt McGue, PhD, Regents Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota and a leading researcher and co-director at the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research (MCTFR).
Composed by Nguyen Kiet Pham, communications assistant.
