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Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive...Two healthy 12-year-old monozygotic twin sisters presented with strikingly similar, painless orbital masses along their frontozygomatic suture line that had been slowly...
Two healthy 12-year-old monozygotic twin sisters presented with strikingly similar, painless orbital masses along their frontozygomatic suture line that had been slowly enlarging since birth. The masses were clinically consistent with orbital dermoid cysts and the patients underwent excision of their lesions, with the diagnosis confirmed by histological analysis. There are prior case reports of both nasal and ovarian dermoid cysts in twins, however, no prior case of orbital dermoid cysts in twins have been described. These dermoid cysts are generally thought to be a sporadic disorder of embryogenesis, yet the authors' case suggests genetics may play a role in the underlying etiology of dermoid cysts.
Topics: Child; Female; Humans; Dermoid Cyst; Nose; Orbital Neoplasms; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Twins, Monozygotic
PubMed: 37133396
DOI: 10.1097/IOP.0000000000002401 -
Epigenomics Sep 2022The aim of this study was to characterize the methylation level of a polymorphically imprinted gene, /, in human populations and somatic tissues.48 datasets, consisting...
The aim of this study was to characterize the methylation level of a polymorphically imprinted gene, /, in human populations and somatic tissues.48 datasets, consisting of more than 30 tissues and >30,000 individuals, were used. methylation status is associated with twin status and ethnic background, but the variation between populations is limited. Monozygotic twin pairs present concordant methylation, whereas ∼30% of dizygotic twin pairs present discordant methylation in the locus. The methylation levels of are uniform across somatic tissues, except in cerebellum and skeletal muscle. The imprint may be established in the oocyte, and, after implantation, the methylation status is stable, excluding a few specific tissues.
Topics: DNA Methylation; Humans; Twins, Monozygotic
PubMed: 36200237
DOI: 10.2217/epi-2022-0228 -
Twin Research and Human Genetics : the... Aug 2018Dr. Irving I. Gottesman was very creative in applying twin research designs to test hypotheses and predictions about human behavior. Two designs stand out among others:... (Review)
Review
Dr. Irving I. Gottesman was very creative in applying twin research designs to test hypotheses and predictions about human behavior. Two designs stand out among others: twins reared apart from birth and the twin-family study. I (NS) was inspired to incorporate both of these approaches into my own research programs at California State University, Fullerton. Gottesman's involvement and contributions to reared-apart twin research are described, followed by selected findings from the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart (MISTRA), the Fullerton Study of Chinese Twins Reared Apart (CTA), a case report on separated monozygotic (MZ) female twins from South Korea, and doubly exchanged MZ male twin pairs from Colombia, South America. Recent findings from an ongoing twin-family study of social closeness, and future directions, are also presented.
Topics: Behavior; Child; Child Rearing; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Twins, Monozygotic
PubMed: 30027860
DOI: 10.1017/thg.2018.34 -
Cell Reports. Medicine Oct 2022Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) enable reproductive diseases to be studied when the reproductive health of the participant is known. In this study,...
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) enable reproductive diseases to be studied when the reproductive health of the participant is known. In this study, monozygotic (MZ) monoamniotic (MA) twins discordant for primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) consent to research to address the hypothesis that discordant POI is due to a shared primordial germ cell (PGC) progenitor pool. If this is the case, reprogramming the twin's skin cells to hiPSCs is expected to restore equivalent germ cell competency to the twins hiPSCs. Following reprogramming, the infertile MA twin's cells are capable of generating human PGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) and amniotic sac-like structures equivalent to her fertile twin sister. Using these hiPSCs together with genome sequencing, our data suggest that POI in the infertile twin is not due to a genetic barrier to amnion or germ cell formation and support the hypothesis that during gestation, amniotic PGCs are likely disproportionately allocated to the fertile twin with embryo splitting.
Topics: Humans; Female; Twins, Monozygotic; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; Germ Cells; Amnion; Embryo, Mammalian; Infertility
PubMed: 36260988
DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100782 -
Journal of Personality Feb 2024Several personality theories distinguish between rather genetically rooted, universal dispositional traits (DTs) and rather environmentally shaped, more contextualized...
OBJECTIVE
Several personality theories distinguish between rather genetically rooted, universal dispositional traits (DTs) and rather environmentally shaped, more contextualized characteristic adaptations (CAs). However, no study so far has compared different measures of theoretically postulated DTs and CAs regarding their environmental and genetic components while considering differences in measurement abstraction and reliability. This study aims to bridge this gap by testing the assumed differences in the sensitivity to environmental influences based on representative sets of DTs (Big Five and HEXACO domains and facets) and CAs (goals, interests, value priorities, religiousness, and self-schemas).
METHOD
Using intra-class correlations and running extended twin family and spouses-of-twins model analyses, we analyzed a large data set (N = 1967) encompassing 636 twin pairs, 787 parent-offspring dyads, and 325 spouses/partners.
RESULTS
Findings consistently support lower environmentality of DTs compared to CAs. On average, more than half of reliable variance in DTs was genetic, whereas the reverse was found for CAs. Larger environmental components in CAs were primarily attributable to larger individual-specific effects (beyond error of measurement) and factors shared by spouses.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings are discussed against the background of the definitional distinction between DTs and CAs and the value of extended twin family data.
Topics: Humans; Reproducibility of Results; Twins; Personality; Personality Disorders; Phenotype; Twins, Dizygotic; Twins, Monozygotic
PubMed: 36131632
DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12777 -
International Journal of Environmental... Oct 2022Epidemiological studies have suggested the role of multiple genetic and environmental factors in the development of non-neoplastic gastrointestinal (GI) diseases;...
Comparison of Concordance of Peptic Ulcer Disease, Non-Adenomatous Intestinal Polyp, and Gallstone Disease in Korean Monozygotic and Dizygotic Twins: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Epidemiological studies have suggested the role of multiple genetic and environmental factors in the development of non-neoplastic gastrointestinal (GI) diseases; however, little information is available on these factors in the Korean population. Therefore, this cross-sectional study explored the effect of these factors by analyzing the concordance of several benign GI disorders in 525 monozygotic twins compared to that in 122 dizygotic twins aged >20 years from the Healthy Twin Study data of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (2005-2014). Chi-square test, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and binomial and multinomial logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis. There was lack of concordance of gastric/duodenal ulcers and cholelithiasis/cholangitis between monozygotic twins compared to that in dizygotic twins, suggesting that environmental factors may mediate those concordant disease expressions in monozygotic twins. The concordance of intestinal polyps in monozygotic twins was 32% lower than that in dizygotic twins ( = 0.028), indicating that the effect of genetic factors on the risk for intestinal polyp development may be low. In conclusion, the lack or low concordance of several benign GI diseases between monozygotic and dizygotic twin groups suggests the relative importance of environmental factors, indicating that these are preventable diseases.
Topics: Cholelithiasis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases in Twins; Humans; Intestinal Polyps; Peptic Ulcer; Republic of Korea; Twins, Dizygotic; Twins, Monozygotic
PubMed: 36232007
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912708 -
Twin Research and Human Genetics : the... Jun 2023Twins' memoirs and autobiographies both enlighten and entertain. These works, often overlooked by researchers, may suggest new avenues for investigation, such as...
Twin Research and Human Genetics - News, Views & Comments: Memoirs and Autobiographies by Twins: Research Angles and Human Interest/Twin Research Reviews: Fetal Reduction in Twin Pregnancy; Twins' Personality and Military Service; Growth Restriction in Twins; Advances in Conjoined Twin...
Twins' memoirs and autobiographies both enlighten and entertain. These works, often overlooked by researchers, may suggest new avenues for investigation, such as nonshared environmental events that propel twins in different directions. Of course, MZ twins' generally parallel experiences and DZ twins generally criss-crossing paths are the bases of fascinating life stories. The following sections examined recent research on fetal reduction in twin pregnancy, twins' personality and military service, growth restriction in twins, and advances in conjoined twin separation. This article closes with reports of a scientist who performed gene editing on twins, a twin conception from 33-year-old embryos, twins' physical outcomes from dietary differences, fraternal twins with the world's largest height difference and the Twin Home Experts who conquer rat infestation in New York.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Animals; Rats; Adult; Twins, Dizygotic; Pregnancy, Twin; Twins, Conjoined; Twins, Monozygotic; Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal; Gene Editing; Military Personnel; Personality; Human Genetics
PubMed: 37400944
DOI: 10.1017/thg.2023.21 -
Twin Research and Human Genetics : the... Feb 2019Twin studies have shown that our sense of humor has an underlying genetic component, but less investigation of the origins of stand-up comedy has been undertaken. This...
Performing Together: Monozygotic Twin Comedians/Twin research: Mirror-Image Cleft Lip and Palate; Dental Caries; Noninvasive Prenatal testing; Capgras Syndrome with Folie à Deux/In the News: Athletic Twins; Transgendered Twins; Crib-Sharing; Common Careers.
Twin studies have shown that our sense of humor has an underlying genetic component, but less investigation of the origins of stand-up comedy has been undertaken. This article briefly reviews twin research findings on humor, then describes the working partnership and social affiliation of a pair of monozygotic male twins who perform together as stand-up comedians. The abilities, personalities and temperaments of these twins suggest future avenues for research in this interesting area. Next, findings from twin studies and case reports of twins with cleft lip and palate, dental caries, noninvasive prenatal testing and Capgras syndrome (with folie à deux) are summarized. In conclusion, recent news about athletic twins, transgendered twins, crib-sharing and career choice are presented.
Topics: Art; Athletes; Capgras Syndrome; Career Choice; Cleft Lip; Cleft Palate; Dental Caries; Female; Humans; Male; Prenatal Diagnosis; Shared Paranoid Disorder; Transgender Persons; Twins, Monozygotic
PubMed: 30739630
DOI: 10.1017/thg.2018.74 -
Twin Research and Human Genetics : the... Dec 2019The Keio Twin Research Center (KoTReC) was established in 2009 at Keio University to combine two longitudinal cohort projects - the Keio Twin Study (KTS) for adolescence...
The Keio Twin Research Center (KoTReC) was established in 2009 at Keio University to combine two longitudinal cohort projects - the Keio Twin Study (KTS) for adolescence and adulthood and the Tokyo Twin Cohort Project (ToTCoP) for infancy and childhood. KoTReC also conducted a two-time panel study of self-control and psychopathology in twin adolescence in 2012 and 2013 and three independent anonymous cross-sectional twin surveys (ToTcross) before 2012 - the ToTCross, the Junior and Senior High School Survey and the High School Survey. This article introduces the recent research designs of KoTReC and its publications.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases in Twins; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Japan; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Psychopathology; Registries; Schools; Self-Control; Surveys and Questionnaires; Twins, Dizygotic; Twins, Monozygotic; Young Adult
PubMed: 31937382
DOI: 10.1017/thg.2019.109 -
JAMA Psychiatry Jul 2023General and specific factors of psychopathology are associated with future adverse outcomes, indicating that they might be useful for identifying individuals at greatest...
IMPORTANCE
General and specific factors of psychopathology are associated with future adverse outcomes, indicating that they might be useful for identifying individuals at greatest risk. However, it remains unknown if these associations are attributable to confounders that may influence both the psychopathology factors and later outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze associations between psychopathology factors and clinically relevant outcomes within family pairs, adjusting for unmeasured confounds by applying co-twin control and sibling comparison designs.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This longitudinal cohort study with a follow-up range of 9 to 13 years included all Swedish twins born from 1959 to 1985 who participated in the Study of Twin Adults: Genes and Environment (60% response rate) and the oldest pair of all Swedish siblings born from 1959 to 1985 per the Multi-Generation Register. Twins were evaluated based on responses to a hierarchical factor model derived using multivariate statistics. Sibling pairs were evaluated based on psychiatric diagnoses per the Swedish National Patient Register. Information on outcome events and prescriptions were derived from the National Patient Register, Prescribed Drug Register, and Crime Register. Baseline assessment was in August 2005, and data were analyzed from January 2022 to February 2023.
EXPOSURES
Hierarchical factor model consisting of 1 general and 4 specific factors fit to 48 psychiatric symptoms on which twin participants self-reported in 2005 and 1 general and 3 specific factors fit to 9 register-based psychiatric diagnoses assigned to sibling participants prior to 2005.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Outcomes consisted of 7 register-based events occurring after 2005, including suicidal behavior, substance overdoses, and criminal suspicion or convictions (data available until the end of 2013), and prescription of antidepressants, antialcohol or antiopioid medication, antipsychotics, and stimulants (data available until the end of 2017).
RESULTS
The study included 32 328 twins (mean [SD] age, 34 [8] years; 16 076 [49.73%] male) and 1 942 106 siblings (mean [SD] age, 34 [7] years; 991 500 [51.05%] male). General psychopathology was significantly associated with all 7 outcomes within sibling pairs (mean within-pair odds ratio [OR], 2.28; 95% CI, 2.19-2.37) and dizygotic twin pairs (within-pairs OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.38-1.98) and with 3 outcomes within monozygotic twin pairs (mean within-pairs OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.35-2.36). Within sibling pairs, the specific internalizing factor was associated with antidepressant prescriptions (within-pairs OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.59-1.71), the specific substance misuse factor was associated prescription of antialcohol and antiopioid medication (within-pairs OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 2.20-2.54), and the specific psychotic factor was associated with antipsychotic medications (within-pairs OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.51-1.72). Similar results emerged within twin pairs.
CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE
In this cohort study, general psychopathology was significantly associated with all 7 outcomes within sibling and dizygotic twin pairs and 3 outcomes within monozygotic twin pairs at 10 years. Within twin and sibling pairs, the specific factors were primarily associated with related outcomes. Several of the associations in this cohort study could not be attributed to unmeasured confounds shared by family members, suggesting that interventions toward broad psychopathology dimensions might help reduce the risk of future clinically relevant events.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Male; Female; Siblings; Longitudinal Studies; Sweden; Twins, Monozygotic; Mental Disorders; Twins, Dizygotic; Registries
PubMed: 37163290
DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.1162