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Genetic epidemiology and phenotypic resolution of complex traits : studies in specific language impairment and alcoholism

Rationale. Definition of complex behavioral disorders is generally phenomenological in nature and guided by pragmatic, rather than genetic, concerns. Consequently, important aspect of genetic analysis is the search for novel phenotypic definitions from the familial/genetic perspective. SLI study 1. SLI denotes an inability to acquire normal language in the absence of peripheral hearing impairment, neurological disorder, and mental retardation. Sibling resemblance for several theoretically derived specific components of the SLI phenotype was examined in families of SLI children. In 38 sib-pairs from 10 French-speaking pedigrees, Verb Tense Morphology sub-tests (Real and Non-real Words) showed nonparametric correlations of 0.39 and 0.35, respectively (p < 0.05, 2-tailed). In a densely affected Anglophone pedigree, 41 sib-pair showed familial resemblance with respect to Derivational Morphology (r = 0.52, p < 0.01). SLI study 2. Family history study in 27 families examined the relationship between attention deficit/hyperactivity in SLI children and familial risk of speech/language disorders. Higher odds of speech/language disorders were observed in first-degree relatives of 13 SLI children who also had a medical record of attention deficit/hyperactivity (15/27 vs. 4/46, p = 0.001). Alcoholism study 1. Latent class analysis (LCA) including gender and 15 antisocial behaviors (>15yr) was performed in 236 broadly ascertained alcohol-dependent subjects (121 males, 115 females). Evidence for 3 qualitative behavioral classes was obtained: Socially Adjusted Adults, SAA; Antisocial Non-Aggressive Adults, ANAA; and Antisocial Aggressive Adults, AAA. In both, genders, the AAA class had the earliest age of onset for alcohol dependence (p = 0.001), more alcoholic first-degree relatives and more of other psychopathology. In females, the ANAA class was intermediate. In the ANAA males, socially adjusted childhood behavior differentiated the late onset from the intermediate ons

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.36974
Date January 2000
CreatorsKovac, Ilija.
ContributorsPalmour, Roberta (advisor)
PublisherMcGill University
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Formatapplication/pdf
CoverageDoctor of Philosophy (Department of Biology.)
RightsAll items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
Relationalephsysno: 001806907, proquestno: NQ70064, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest.

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