Geometry of Brain’s Outer Surface Correlates to Genetic Heritage

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine recently found in a study published in the journal Current Biology, that the three-dimensional shape of the cerebral cortex strongly correlates with ancestral background. The study offers news possibilities for precise studies of brain anatomy and could lead to more personalized medicine approaches for diagnosing and treating a variety of brain diseases. “If we can account for a large percentage of brain structure based on an individual’s genes, we’re in a better position to detect smaller variations in the brain that might be important in understanding disease or developmental issues,” said the study’s senior author. Even in the modern contemporary U.S. population, with its melting pot of different cultures, it was still possible to correlate brain cortex structure to ancestral background.” Four continental populations were used as ancestral references: European, West African, East Asian and Native American. The metrics for summarizing genetic ancestry in each ancestral component were standardized as proportions ranging from 0 to 100 percent. The researchers reported that the cortical patterns accounted for 47 to 66 percent of the variation among individuals in their genetic ancestry, depending on the ancestral lineage. To read more about this study, click here.