Twin Research and Human Genetics最新文献

{"title":"Twin Cohorts Using Linked Administrative Data: A Rapid Review.","authors":"Alexander Charles Campbell, Dorret I Boomsma, Veronika V Odintsova, Shuai Li, Alison J Gibberd, Josué Teran Linarte, Lucas Calais-Ferreira","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10081","DOIUrl":"10.1017/thg.2026.10081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Twin research is increasingly integrating administrative data, from hospital, birth, and education registers, to understand human behavior, health, and disease. This includes administrative data to supplement existing twin-cohort databases or to identify new twin cohorts from only administrative datasets. We conducted a rapid review to identify twin cohorts that were collecting linked administrative data. We searched the Medline database and the Atlas of Longitudinal Cohort Studies for such twin studies. This included twin studies either linking data to pre-existing cohorts or studies identifying twin cohorts in administrative data. We identified 117 manuscripts or profiles featuring 47 unique twin cohorts and two multicohort consortia using linked administrative data, from countries across most global regions. We summarize how these cohorts were established, the data collected, and the size of the cohorts. We then discuss opportunities, challenges, and future research in twin research using linked administrative data.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"215-228"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148593517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Abstracts for the 20th Congress of the International Society of Twin Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 10-12 August 2025.","authors":"","doi":"10.1017/thg.2025.10021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/thg.2025.10021","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148253521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Twins and Look-Alikes: Perspectives on Human Reproductive Cloning/Twin Research Reviews: Infantile Pyknocytosis in a Dizygotic Twin; MZ Twin Discordance for Hemimicrencephaly; Unusual Dental Development, with Expert Commentary; Twin Study of 'Gaze Fingerprint Signatures'/Human Interest: Identical Twin Executives at Odds; Loss of Identical Twin, Jim Whittaker; Identical Twin Artists; Twin Wisdom Captured in Stone.","authors":"Nancy L Segal","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/thg.2026.10071","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Twin research informs our thinking about possible human reproductive cloning (HRC). Other human models for assessing the benefits and difficulties of HRC are look-alike parent-child and sibling pairs. An in-depth interview with an extraordinary mother-daughter pair is provided. This section is followed by reviews of research on infantile pyknocytosis in a dizygotic (DZ) twin, monozygotic (MZ) twin discordance for hemimicrencephaly, unusual dental development in a twin, and 'gaze fingerprint signatures'. The final section presents human interest stories of identical twin executives at odds, the loss of identical twin Jim Whittaker, identical twin artists, and twin wisdom captured in stone.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148200083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multiple-Birth Family Knowledge in Maternity and Child Health Clinics: Filling Knowledge Gaps to Improve Multiple-Birth Family Nursing.","authors":"Kristiina Heinonen, Jaakko Kaprio, Tuulikki Trias, Katri Vehviläinen-Julkunen","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/thg.2026.10055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate knowledge about multiple-birth families among midwives and public health nurses working in maternity and child health clinics in Finland. The data were collected with a Finnish language questionnaire in spring 2022. Because relevant questionnaires did not exist, we created a new questionnaire based on existing knowledge and practices. The questionnaire assessed three themes of multiple-birth knowledge relevant for the target population. The response rate was 50% and the number of respondents was 72. A total of 92 items were assessed and these showed high levels of consistency within themes. The respondents had substantial variation in their levels of multiple-birth family knowledge concerning different themes (Kruskal-Wallis test, <i>p</i> < .001). Post-hoc pairwise comparisons revealed many significant differences between themes, the two themes of knowledge of speech development of twins and breast feeding having the lowest level of knowledge, while interaction and support expected by the parents having the highest level of knowledge. The respondents had good knowledge of only five themes of multiple-birth family knowledge. Of all the themes, only knowledge about breast feeding was not significantly related to other themes, except for a weak correlation (<i>r</i> = .264, <i>p</i> < .05) with knowledge about caring for twins and understanding the situation. The age, educational level and work experience of respondents did not significantly affect their scores (all <i>p</i> > .1). Although the respondents had knowledge about early interaction, bonding and supporting the growth and development of child, its application is insufficient or lacking because of the special needs of multiple birth families. Further research is required on the effectiveness of training interventions and on nursing in different nursing contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148164739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Systematic Review of Twin Studies in Infants, Children, and Adolescents in Health Research: Focus on South Asia.","authors":"Janani Opatha, Lasith Dissanayake, Oshini Sri Jayasinghe, Binoli Herath, Alina Andras, Sameeha Jabir, P R Bhanuka Maheshwara Sisira Kumara, Irushi Ediriweera, Mukuntha Vigneshrav, Ishani Pathirathna, Kaushalya Jayaweera, Asiri Hewamalage, Athula Sumathipala","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/thg.2026.10062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Twin studies provide a powerful framework to identify genetic and environmental influences on health and development, particularly during infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Although twin research has expanded globally, evidence from South Asia remains limited and poorly characterized. This systematic review aimed to synthesize health research involving infant, child, and adolescent twins conducted in South Asia and to identify methodological patterns and research gaps relevant to future twin research in the region. A systematic review was conducted according to a registered protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42018105704) using the PICOS framework. Multiple international and regional databases were searched from inception to September 2025. Studies recruiting twins aged 0-19 years within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries were included. Study selection, data extraction, and quality appraisal were conducted independently, with study quality assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Results were synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity across study designs and outcomes. Eighteen studies were included from 1245 identified records. Most studies focused on twin pregnancy and neonatal outcomes (61%), followed by dentistry, ocular health, and gut microbiota. Twin pregnancies were consistently associated with increased risks of low birth weight, preterm birth, and perinatal morbidity and mortality. A limited number of studies applied classical twin designs to investigate genetic and environmental contributions. Twin research involving infants, children, and adolescents in South Asia remains limited in scope and methodological depth. Strengthening twin registries, methodological standardization, and collaborations is essential to advance genetically informative research and enhance the global representativeness of twin studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148164696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In Defence of Behavioral Genetics.","authors":"Peter M Visscher","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/thg.2026.10065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The author presents a commentary on the trilogy of papers by Damien Morris entitled 'Behavioral Genetics and Human Agency: How Selectively Deterministic Theories of Free Will Drive Unwarranted Opposition to Behavioral Genetic Research and Undermine Our Moral and Legal Conventions', published recently in this journal [PMID 40457806, 40963213, 41107251]. In addition to commenting on this specific set of papers, the author offers a broader perspective and defense of the field of behavioral genetics.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"1-3"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148151395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Twin-Based Randomized Controlled Trials in Nutritional Research: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Donya Shahamati, Jessica Nguyen, Matthew J Landry","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10074","DOIUrl":"10.1017/thg.2026.10074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Establishing causality in nutritional science is difficult. Human diets are complex, and individuals vary substantially in how they respond to dietary exposures. The nutrition literature mostly relies on observational studies, which are vulnerable to confounding and measurement error. Twin-based randomized controlled trials (RCTs), especially the co-twin control design, offer a compelling methodological solution to many of these challenges. This design enables researchers to distinguish genetic from environmental influences on health outcomes. The present scoping review was conducted to systematically map twin RCTs in nutrition science, evaluate their methodological approaches, and identify gaps and opportunities for future research. A comprehensive search across clinical trial registries and electronic databases yielded only 13 eligible studies, demonstrating that co-twin randomized dietary interventions remain rare relative to standard study designs using nontwins or twins assigned to the same arm. The interventions used in these eligible RCTs could be classified into four groups: dietary pattern interventions, nutrient- or supplement-based interventions, dietary component modification, and behavioral or multimodal interventions. This limited number of studies may be explained by recruitment challenges and concerns about generalizability. Greater international collaboration, standardized trial protocols, and integration of emerging technologies could expand the utility of twin designs in nutrition science.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"165-175"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148309552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heritability of Triglyceride-Glucose Index in Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Twins: Overall Estimates and Sex-Stratified Analysis.","authors":"Xiaolin Hu, Weizheng Kong, Yurun Peng, Ruiyuan Tian, Yi Zhang, Kai Zhang, Weijing Wang, Xiaocao Tian, Dongfeng Zhang, Junning Fan","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10088","DOIUrl":"10.1017/thg.2026.10088","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a reliable composite marker of insulin resistance, which holds important clinical significance. Existing studies have predominantly focused on identifying TyG index-related genetic loci and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based polygenic risk scores, however, the overall contribution of genetic factors to TyG index variation at the population level is still unclear. To address this gap, we conducted a classic twin study using data from the Qingdao Twin Registry in China. The study included 381 middle-aged and older Chinese twin pairs (241 monozygotic and 140 dizygotic), comprising 370 males and 392 females. The median age of participants was 50 (interquartile range: 12) years. Structural equation modeling was applied to estimate the heritability of the TyG index after adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). Model fitting identified the AE model as the best-fitting one. Additive genetic effects (A) accounted for 60.48% (95% CI [52.46, 67.24]) of the total variance, while unique environmental effects (E) explained 39.52% (95% CI [32.76, 47.54]). A sex-limitation model was subsequently used to test for sex differences in TyG. The results showed that heritability was higher in females (67.2%) than in males (54.0%). This twin-based study provides robust evidence for a moderate‑to‑high heritability of the TyG index in a Northern Chinese population, underscoring the substantial genetic contribution to this composite insulin resistance marker. Notably, the sex difference in heritability reflects larger unique environmental variance in males, highlighting the differential contribution of environmental factors across sexes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"151-157"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148413019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations Between Multiple Immune-Response-Related Proteins and Neonatal Infection: A Proteomic Study Using Cord Plasma of Twins.","authors":"Ruoqing Chen, Weiri Tan, Yeqi Zheng, Feng Wu, Xiaomin Ye, Hui Liang, Youmei Chen, Xian Liu, Rui Zhang, Quanfu Zhang, Xu Chen","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10076","DOIUrl":"10.1017/thg.2026.10076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neonates are highly susceptible to infection, a major cause of neonatal death, given their immature immune system. Comprehensive studies examining multiple immune-response-related proteins in relation to neonatal infection are scarce. We conducted a nested case-control study within the Shenzhen Baoan Birth and Twin (SZBBTwin) cohort, measuring 92 immune-response-related proteins in cord plasma of 149 twins (including 34 discordant twin pairs) with proximity extension assay. All twins were followed for clinical diagnoses of infection from birth until 27 days of age. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to determine differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) between infected and noninfected neonates, the predictive performance of which was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves, and their functions and pathways were annotated through enrichment analysis. Logistic regression was used to assess the associations between levels of proteins and risk of neonatal infection. Finally, five DAPs (ITGA11, FCRL6, DDX58, SH2D1A, and EDAR) were identified for neonatal infection, and the area under the curve of the five DAPs achieved 0.835 for infection prediction. Enrichment analysis indicated that five DAPs were mainly involved in immune function and cell binding, and they were mainly enriched in the nuclear factor kappa-B pathway. A higher level of ITGA11 was associated with an increased risk of neonatal infection in all twins (<i>OR</i> 3.00; 95% CI [1.33, 6.78]) and discordant twin pairs (<i>OR</i> 5.50; 95% CI [1.20, 25.23]). In conclusion, multiple immune-response-related proteins in cord plasma, particularly ITGA11, are associated with the risk of neonatal infection in twins.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"189-198"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148424695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Influence of Personality Characteristics and Negative Life Events During Adolescence on Depression in Young Adulthood: A Longitudinal Twin Study.","authors":"Eirunn Skaug, Trine Waaktaar, Svenn Torgersen","doi":"10.1017/thg.2026.10090","DOIUrl":"10.1017/thg.2026.10090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examined the influence of personality and negative life events during adolescence on depression in young adulthood, and the extent to which common genetic and environmental influences contributed to these associations. The data come from a Norwegian population based twin sample (N = 3,394). Depression was predicted by higher neuroticism and loneliness, as well as lower sense of coherence, self-efficacy, and resilience. Additionally, weak positive associations were found between negative life events and depression. Common genetic influences accounted for most of the phenotypic associations between depression and both personality and negative life events. The findings emphasize the importance of assessing personality characteristics early in adolescence, as they may serve as vulnerabilities for the development of depression later in life.</p>","PeriodicalId":23446,"journal":{"name":"Twin Research and Human Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"129-140"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148424614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}