Links between genetics and cognition change across childhood

Article excerpt

Rare DNA changes are most strongly linked to cognition in early childhood, but the link fades as children age, while common DNA changes show stronger links later in childhood, a new study finds. The research was reported July 10 in Nature Human Behaviour by researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, who analyzed data from U.K. birth cohorts to investigate how genetic makeup affects cognitive ability across early life.