B2308 - Exploring the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of early human language development - 23/10/2014

B number: 
B2308
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Beate St Pourcain (MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof George Davey Smith (Univeristy of Bristol, UK), Dr Caroline Relton (Univeristy of Bristol, UK), Prof Susan Roulstone (University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol), Yvonne Wren (University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol), Dr Dave Evans (University of Bristol, UK), Nick Timpson (Univeristy of Bristol, UK)
Title of project: 
Exploring the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of early human language development
Proposal summary: 

Aims and objectives

Within this project, we aim to enhance the understanding of genetic and epigenetic factors driving the development of human language, and how these factors impact on later child development. We will 1) investigate the genetic architecture of early linguistic abilities, especially expressive language, with respect to common and moderately rare genetic variation, exploiting detailed information from UK10K(http://www.uk10k.org/) and 1000Genomes(http://www.1000genomes.org/)1.

Aim I: Search for single variant genetic effects through a genome-wide meta-analysis of early linguistic skills

Aim II: DNA-based heritability estimations for early language skills using genome-wide data

Aim III: Identification of pleiotropic effects between early linguistic skills and intellectual and developmental outcomes in middle/late childhood

Furthermore, epigenomic variation at birth is likely to harbour a large proportion of cumulative environmental changes during early prenatal development2.

Aim IV: Search for links between epigenetic changes in newborns and early linguistic skills

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 16 October, 2014
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 23 October, 2014
Keywords: 
Speech and Language
Primary keyword: 
Learning Disability