Gene-Environment Interplay in Early Cognitive Development

描述（由申请人提供）：虽然基因和环境对认知发展的影响传统上被认为是独立的，如果不是竞争的，力量，有一个新兴的理论共识，即认知发展是基因和累积环境经验之间相互作用的结果。然而，尽管迄今为止对认知发展的基因-环境（GxE）相互作用的研究主要集中在儿童在小学期间的经历，但最近的研究表明，GxE对认知发展的影响要早得多——早在2岁时就出现了。在低社会经济地位家庭中，基因对婴儿认知功能的影响接近于零，而在高社会经济地位家庭中，基因对婴儿认知功能变化的影响约为50%。使用大约800对异卵和同卵双胞胎的数据，这些数据是作为早期儿童纵向研究-出生队列（ECLS-B）的一部分收集的，该项目将采取步骤，从三个重要方面阐明GxE相互作用对早期认知发展的影响。目的1：确定父母行为对婴儿认知功能的影响。对于第一个目标，本项目将研究父母行为在调节遗传对婴儿认知功能的影响中所起的作用。一个指导性的假设是，父母对婴儿线索的反应对早期认知发展的遗传潜力的表达至关重要。目的2：了解婴儿行为与婴儿认知功能之间的关系。第二个目标，本项目将研究婴儿知识寻求行为与婴儿认知功能之间关系的遗传和环境基础，以及社会经济优势和父母反应性是否调节这些关系。这将有助于确定GxE对婴儿认知功能的相互作用是否可以通过儿童知识寻求行为支持水平的差异来解释。目的3:GxE对幼儿园入学技能认知功能的影响。对于最终目标，本项目将研究GxE对婴儿认知功能的影响在多大程度上延伸到4岁和5岁时测量的入学技能（数学、阅读和注意力技能），以及独立于先前GxE效应的新GxE效应是否在入学时出现。确定有助于促进健康认知发展和入学准备的基因表达的早期生活经历，将有助于儿童健康发展中心的使命，即确保所有儿童都有机会充分发挥其潜力，过上健康和有益的生活。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): While the influences of genes and environments on cognitive development have traditionally been viewed as independent, if not competing, forces, there is an emerging theoretical consensus that cognitive development results from interactions between genes and cumulative environmental experiences. However, while the little gene-by-environment (GxE) interaction research on cognitive development that has been conducted to date has primarily focused on children's experiences during grade school, very recent work suggests that GxE on cognitive development emerges much earlier - as early as 2 years of age. In low socioeconomic status homes, genetic influences on infant cognitive function approach zero, whereas in high socioeconomic status homes, genes account for approximately 50% of the variation in infant cognitive function. Using data on approximately 800 pairs of fraternal and identical twins that were collected as part of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), this project will take steps to clarify GxE interaction effects on early cognitive development in three important respects. Aim 1: Identify Parent Behaviors that Moderate Genetic Influences on Infant Cognitive Function. For the first aim, this project will examine the roles that parent behaviors play in moderating genetic influences on infant cognitive function. A guiding hypothesis is that parental responsiveness to infant cues is crucial to the expression of genetic potential for early cognitive development. Aim 2: Understand the Association Between Infant Behaviors and Infant Cognitive Function. For the second aim, this project will examine the genetic and environmental bases for the relations between infant knowledge-seeking behaviors and infant cognitive function, and whether socioeconomic advantage and parental responsiveness moderate these relations. This will help to determine whether GxE interactions on infant cognitive functions can be accounted for by differences in levels of support of children's knowledge seeking behaviors. Aim 3: Link GxE Affects on Cognitive Function with School Entry Skills in Kindergarten. For the final aim, this project will examine the extent to which GxE effects on infant cognitive function extend to school entry skills (mathematics, reading, and attentional skills) measured at 4 and 5 years, and whether new GxE effects independent of previous GxE effects emerge at school entry. Identifying early life experiences that facilitate the expression of genes for healthy cognitive development and school readiness will support NICHD's mission to ensure that all children have their chance to achieve their full potential for healthy and productive lives. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Cognitive function and academic achievement play fundamental roles in determining social, economic, and health outcomes throughout the lifespan. It is therefore critical to understand how children's early experiences affect their cognitive development and prepare them for school entry and sustained school achievement. This research will break new ground in identifying and testing mechanisms by which genes interact with socioeconomic status, parent behaviors, and child behaviors, to affect children's early cognitive development and school readiness.