Genetics of the association between intelligence and nicotine dependence: a study of male Swedish twins
Corresponding Author
Karin Modig
Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden,
Karin Modig, Child and Adolescent Public Health Epidemiology Group, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Norrbacka 5th floor, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorKarri Silventoinen
Population Research Unit, Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Finland,
Search for more papers by this authorPer Tynelius
Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden,
Search for more papers by this authorJaakko Kaprio
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland,
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
Institute for Molecular Medicine, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorFinn Rasmussen
Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden,
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Karin Modig
Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden,
Karin Modig, Child and Adolescent Public Health Epidemiology Group, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Norrbacka 5th floor, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorKarri Silventoinen
Population Research Unit, Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Finland,
Search for more papers by this authorPer Tynelius
Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden,
Search for more papers by this authorJaakko Kaprio
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland,
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
Institute for Molecular Medicine, Helsinki, Finland
Search for more papers by this authorFinn Rasmussen
Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden,
Search for more papers by this authorABSTRACT
Aims Previous studies have found inverse associations between intelligence quotient (IQ) and cigarette smoking, but the causal pathways linking IQ with smoking status and nicotine dependence (ND) are not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between IQ and ND using a genetically informative twin design to detect whether any association is because of shared genetic or environmental factors.
Design A population-based twin cohort with IQ measured in adolescence and ND later in life, analysed by classical twin modeling based on linear structural equations.
Setting Swedish national registry data.
Participants A total of 5040 male twins born 1951–84.
Measurements IQ was measured at military conscription at a mean age of 18 years. ND was self-reported at the ages of 22–57 years using the Fagerström Test for ND scale (FTND). Both cigarette smoking and Swedish snus use were analysed.
Findings Both IQ and ND showed moderate heritability (0.58 and 0.39, respectively). The heritability of ND was similar for cigarette smoking and snus use. The phenotypic correlation between IQ and ND was weak: −0.11 (−0.16, −0.06) for total ND. Bivariate analysis revealed that this correlation was mainly because of genetic factors, but still the genetic correlation between IQ and ND from cigarette smoking was only −0.24.
Conclusions Nicotine dependence, as measured by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, shows moderate heritability in both smokers and snus users but is only weakly associated with intelligence quotient; common genetic factors underlying nicotine dependence and intelligence quotient probably account for little of the observed association between smoking and intelligence quotient.
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