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Genetic and Environmental Factors in Complex Diseases: The Older Finnish Twin Cohort

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Jaakko Kaprio  and
Markku Koskenvuo
Jaakko Kaprio*
Affiliation:
University of Helsinki and National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finlandjaakko.kaprio@helsinki.fi
Markku Koskenvuo
Affiliation:
University of Turku, Finland
*
*Address for correspondence: Jaakko Kaprio, Professor of Public Health, Dept. of Public Health, University of Helsinki, PO Box 41, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

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In studies on the Finnish Twin Cohort, we investigate genetic and environmental determinants of common, complex diseases, and their behavioral risk factors in Finland, a genetically unique and culturally homogenous population. We have formed the following databases: 1) Like-sexed twin pairs (13,888 pairs of known zygosity) form the older Twin Cohort. They have participated since 1975 in mail surveys, in clinical examinations for subsamples, and have been followed-up for morbidity using national medical registers; 2) The older Twin Cohort was expanded in 1996 to include opposite-sex pairs born 1938–1957 (c. 8000 pairs); 3) Two, new longitudinal studies of adolescent twins and their families, form a complementary, ongoing study base described in more detail in an accompanying article. Genetic and environmental effects vary over the life-span, and only longitudinal studies in genetically informative data sets permits the evaluation of such effects. Finally, the inclusion of DNA-based genetic information in a phenotypically rich family data base will offer a unique resource for research in genetic epidemiology and behavioral medicine.

Type
Articles/Finland
Information
Twin Research and Human Genetics , Volume 5 , Issue 5 , 01 October 2002 , pp. 358 - 365
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2002