Fitting Procedures for Novel Gene-by-Measured Environment Interaction Models in Behavior Genetic Designs

Behav Genet. 2015 Jul;45(4):467-79. doi: 10.1007/s10519-015-9707-9. Epub 2015 Mar 4.

Abstract

For quantitative behavior genetic (e.g., twin) studies, Purcell proposed a novel model for testing gene-by-measured environment (GxM) interactions while accounting for gene-by-environment correlation. Rathouz et al. expanded this model into a broader class of non-linear biometric models for quantifying and testing such interactions. In this work, we propose a novel factorization of the likelihood for this class of models, and adopt numerical integration techniques to achieve model estimation, especially for those without close-form likelihood. The validity of our procedures is established through numerical simulation studies. The new procedures are illustrated in a twin study analysis of the moderating effect of birth weight on the genetic influences on childhood anxiety. A second example is given in an online appendix. Both the extant GxM models and the new non-linear models critically assume normality of all structural components, which implies continuous, but not normal, manifest response variables.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Anxiety / genetics
  • Birth Weight
  • Computer Simulation
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Environment
  • Gene-Environment Interaction*
  • Genetics, Behavioral / methods*
  • Humans
  • Likelihood Functions
  • Models, Statistical
  • Nonlinear Dynamics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Research Design*
  • Twin Studies as Topic*
  • Twins / genetics