Presents an exercise to demonstrate adaptive landscaping. Describes the effects of selection and genetic drift. (YDS)

Plasma amino acid levels were measured in autistic (n=12), Asperger syndrome (n=11) patients, their parents and siblings. Patients with autism or Asperger syndrome and their siblings and parents all had raised glutamic acid, phenyalanine, asparagine, tyrosine, alanine, and lysine levels than age-matched controls. Results suggest dysregulated amino…

Presents the recommendations of the Human Genetic Education Subcommittee of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) on the development of introductory biology courses for non-science majors addressing the list of concepts including evolution, transmission, gene expression, gene regulation, and genetics and society. Used an online survey to…

Describes a science activity on the importance of meiosis for variability. Uses a coin flip to demonstrate the random arrangement of genetic materials and explains how this results in zygotes with a new DNA combination. (YDS)

Contends treatment strategies often are premised on modifying either environmental factors or clients' interpretations of the interpersonal environment, but a more complete analysis would take into account the role played by genetic transmission in an individual's personality. Recommends when developing interventions both counselors and clients…

Reviews genetic influences on learning disabilities, discussing recent advances in molecular genetics that have made linkage analysis a more powerful tool for studying the genetics of behavioral phenotypes. Also examines what is known about genetic influences in two familial disorders, developmental dyslexia and Tourette syndrome. (Author/NB)

A model of the Darwinian evolution of creative thinking is proposed. Creative thinking is modeled as a re-linkage of connections among mental representations, occurring in relationship to gene-culture heterarchy, which is a system of causative and motivational connections among the individual, the innate regularities of cognitive development, and…

The developmental history of a 14-year-old male with Klinefelter's Syndrome (XXXXY) is described. The boy's physical development was consistent with many patterns described in the XXXXY literature, although his retardation was not as severe as expected from the literature. (Author/DB)

Results indicated significant genetic influence on eight Family Environment Scales that had been altered to obtain retrospective perceptions of family environment in childhood. The combined twin and adoption design was used with four groups of twins whose average age was 59 years. (RH)

Hierarchical factor analyses involving Schmid-Leiman transformations were conducted on specific cognitive abilities data collected from 148 identical and 135 fraternal twin pairs from the Western Reserve Twin Project. Model fitting results reflect genetic influences on specific abilities and suggest that environmental influences are less…

Of 100 DNA markers examined in an allelic association study, only 1 showed a replicated association with IQ in samples totaling 107 children. How the gene marked by the particular restriction fragment length polymorphism was tracked and its mitochondrial origin identified is described. (SLD)

For DNA markers in or near genes of neurological relevance, allelic frequencies were compared for groups of high- and low-IQ children (total sample of 86). This study adds 40 markers to the 60 already studied. Only one showed a significant association with IQ in original and replication samples. (SLD)

This paper is an introduction to behavioral genetics for researchers and practitioners in language development and disorders. It identifies essential concepts and applies behavioral genetic research to the language sciences. It suggests that more complex questions may be successfully addressed through behavioral genetic paradigms. Research needs…

Raw IQ scores do not demonstrate the bell curve created by normalized scores, even the bell-shaped distribution does not require large numbers of underlying genes. Family data support a major gene locus of IQ. The correlation between glutathione peroxidase and IQ should be investigated through molecular genetics. (SLD)

Brain size and cerebral glucose metabolic rate were determined for 10 individuals with mild mental retardation (MR), 7 individuals with Down syndrome (DS), and 10 matched controls. MR and DS groups both had brain volumes of about 80% compared to controls, with variance greatest within the MR group. (SLD)