As part of the Wellcome Trust Case-Control Consortium 2 (WTCCC2) project, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in reading and mathematics ability at age 12 using phenotype data and DNA from twins from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). Individuals from approximately 3,665 families were genotyped on the Affymetrix SNP 6.0 and Illumina Immunochip platforms, and an association analysis performed. The current proposal is for a project to attempt to replicate a potential association found in a single autosomal region of the genome, approximately 200 kilobases in length.

Aims: Assess the support for the hypothesis that common genetic variants in the region are associated with reading ability. If this hypothesis is supported, estimate the strength of effect at these variants, and the location of the functional variants (insofar as this is possible using the GWAS data employed).

Hypothesis: We compare an 'alternative' hypothesis (that genetic variants in the region are associated with reading or mathematics ability in 12 year-olds) with the 'null' alternative (that they are not.) Exposure variables: Genotype data at single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the region. Outcome variables: TOWRE test scores taken at 12 years of age.