Indirect genetic effects

Indirect genetic effects happen when a person is affected by another person's genes. This is different from direct genetic effects, when one's own genes have an effect. This can be done by friends or family members. It is called "genetic nurture" if the genes that affect the person are present in the person's parents. Genetic nurture only involves the genes that aren't passed down to the child.

Illustration of genetic nurture

A mother or father might have genes that cause them to feel sad or depressed. This might change the way they treat their child. The way they treat their child could make the child feel sad or depressed. In this way, the genes of the mother or father affected the child, even though the child did not have the genes for being depressed.

Some research says that certain behaviors or diseases are caused by the environment because they see a correlation, or a relationship, between an environment and the behavior or disease. However, it could be caused by indirect genetic effects instead of by the environment. Understanding this can help us realize that many disorders, such as dyslexia, are not the fault of the mother and father. Sometimes, changes are made to a child's life to prevent a disorder. These changes are called interventions. Understanding indirect genetic effects could help scientists know which interventions will not work.

Effects on traits

Scientists are able to study indirect genetic effects on a child, even if those effects come from the child's parents. This can be difficult because the parents also pass down genes to the child. Scientists only look at genes that are not passed down. If they did not do this, they might be measuring the direct effect of the gene. They do this by getting information on many of the genes in the mother, father, and child, to see which ones are passed down. To study indirect genetic effects, scientists only look at the genes that were not passed down.

These indirect genetic effects are important for educational success, psychological wellbeing, and physical health. However, direct genetic effects are still important. For example, the direct effect of genes is twice as important as the indirect effect of genes for determining someone's level of education. Most of genetic nurture is often because genes that change a parent's own education and socioeconomic status. These changes in education and socioeconomic status change the child's development.