{"title":"Heritability of white matter in twins: A diffusion neuroimaging review","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.plrev.2024.07.003","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Diffusion neuroimaging has emerged as an essential non-invasive technique to explore in vivo microstructural characteristics of white matter (WM), whose integrity allows complex behaviors and cognitive abilities. Studying the factors contributing to inter-individual variability in WM microstructure can provide valuable insight into structural and functional differences of brain among individuals. Genetic influence on this variation has been largely investigated in twin studies employing different measures derived from diffusion neuroimaging. In this context, we performed a comprehensive literature search across PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science of original twin studies focused on the heritability of WM. Overall, our results highlighted a consistent heritability of diffusion indices (i.e., fractional anisotropy, mean, axial and radial diffusivity), and network topology among twins. The genetic influence resulted prominent in frontal and occipital regions, in the limbic system, and in commissural fibers. To enhance the understanding of genetic influence on WM microstructure further studies in less heterogeneous experimental settings, encompassing all diffusion indices, are warranted.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":403,"journal":{"name":"Physics of Life Reviews","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":13.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Physics of Life Reviews","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S157106452400085X","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Diffusion neuroimaging has emerged as an essential non-invasive technique to explore in vivo microstructural characteristics of white matter (WM), whose integrity allows complex behaviors and cognitive abilities. Studying the factors contributing to inter-individual variability in WM microstructure can provide valuable insight into structural and functional differences of brain among individuals. Genetic influence on this variation has been largely investigated in twin studies employing different measures derived from diffusion neuroimaging. In this context, we performed a comprehensive literature search across PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science of original twin studies focused on the heritability of WM. Overall, our results highlighted a consistent heritability of diffusion indices (i.e., fractional anisotropy, mean, axial and radial diffusivity), and network topology among twins. The genetic influence resulted prominent in frontal and occipital regions, in the limbic system, and in commissural fibers. To enhance the understanding of genetic influence on WM microstructure further studies in less heterogeneous experimental settings, encompassing all diffusion indices, are warranted.
期刊介绍:
Physics of Life Reviews, published quarterly, is an international journal dedicated to review articles on the physics of living systems, complex phenomena in biological systems, and related fields including artificial life, robotics, mathematical bio-semiotics, and artificial intelligent systems. Serving as a unifying force across disciplines, the journal explores living systems comprehensively—from molecules to populations, genetics to mind, and artificial systems modeling these phenomena. Inviting reviews from actively engaged researchers, the journal seeks broad, critical, and accessible contributions that address recent progress and sometimes controversial accounts in the field.