Nat Genet April 2022 PMID 35361970

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals.

Aysu Okbay, Yeda Wu, Nancy Wang, Hariharan Jayashankar, Michael Bennett, Seyed Moeen Nehzati, Julia Sidorenko, Hyeokmoon Kweon, Grant Goldman, Tamara Gjorgjieva, Yunxuan Jiang, Barry Hicks, Chao Tian, David A Hinds, Rafael Ahlskog

Mentions

94
Peak: 33 in Apr 2022
across 6 sources since Mar 2022

Extended reach

1,458,929
potential audience

Total likes

4,853

Video views

266,648

Mentions per month

Mar 2022 – Oct 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter51 posts
  • News24 articles
  • Blogs9 articles
  • Reddit4 posts
  • YouTube3 videos
  • Facebook3 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Discussions highlight various aspects of the research, including methodologies and the implications of genetic factors on educational attainment. For instance, users express concern about the potential misapplication of such genetic information, reflecting on phrases like 'scary this tech/information can be' and 'inevitably will be used,' which convey apprehension about the ethical ramifications of the findings.

AgreementModerate agreement

Many discussions express a general support for the findings regarding the polygenic prediction of educational attainment, although some show skepticism regarding the implications.

InterestHigh interest

A majority of posts demonstrate a high level of curiosity about the subject, indicating that it resonates with both experts and laypersons.

EngagementModerate engagement

While some posts engage with the research details, others merely share or comment without deep analysis, suggesting moderate engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

The perception of the study's impact is mixed, with some acknowledging potential benefits while others raise concerns about misuse.

Abstract in brief

  • Conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on educational attainment (EA) with a sample size of ~3 million, discovering 3,952 significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
  • Developed a polygenic index (PGI) that explains 12-16% of the variance in EA and is associated with disease risk prediction.
  • Found that direct effects account for about half of the PGI's association with EA, and also noted a significantly high correlation between mate-pair PGIs, indicating additional factors influencing mating choice.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Steven Pinker
@sapinker · X

Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals | Nature Genetics https://t.co/pwIsuFAT06

Apr 2, 2022 · 38 likes · 8 shares · 855,815 followers View post →
Kevin Mitchell
@WiringTheBrain · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/34NV5yynvl https://t.co/uKUAnOKDam

Apr 1, 2022 · 31 likes · 6 shares · 40,248 followers View post →
Nature Genetics
@NatureGenet · X

Mar 31, 2022 · 29 likes · 8 shares · 128,301 followers View post →
Sasha Gusev
@SashaGusevPosts · X

3: Assortative mating (AM) is highest for intelligence and genetically mediated. ❌ Okbay et al. [https://t.co/ITdX84BsMj] looked at AM across phenotypes. First, this isn't even genetics, but intelligence ("cognitive performance") had lower AM than education, height, or BMI! https://t.co/mVfkJULYFq

Aug 28, 2023 · 22 likes · 19,931 followers View post →
BioDecoded
@BioDecoded · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals | Nature Genetics https://t.co/yJwEhznLYQ #Genomics https://t.co/e1FCg4Mskd

Apr 9, 2022 · 6 likes · 1 share · 8,894 followers View post →
Kirsten Hilger
@Kirsten_Hilger · X

Impressive study: "Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals" >> https://t.co/F7Zw8YBp5l

May 10, 2022 · 4 likes · 994 followers View post →

All mentions

Finn
@FinnStel · X

@NeolibMICDemon @poiThePoi @BarneyFlames Confounding accounts for about 2/3rds of polygenic scores relating to educational attainment in GWAS studies. https://t.co/oafqN3ZraY

Jul 13, 2025 · 1 like · 57 followers View post →
Mil Kio
@KiolMil3050 · X

@joker448_448 https://t.co/FYmqa9wMRq 0.22 ~0.17

May 23, 2024 · 593 followers View post →
カラコロ
@pain0205 · X

残酷な遺伝の真実 https://t.co/IA8BFHO7yz

Dec 28, 2023 · 1,736 followers View post →
spacechimplives
@spacechimplife · X

@teortaxesTex https://t.co/CJIUmFz6Q8 <-- at 7.1 they show their method for accounting for all indirect factors. See equation 7.2. As far as I can tell this method would account as a "direct effect" (implying genetic) a situation where darker skinned siblings are treated differently from...

Nov 28, 2023 · 189 followers View post →
Sasha Gusev
@SashaGusevPosts · X

3: Assortative mating (AM) is highest for intelligence and genetically mediated. ❌ Okbay et al. [https://t.co/ITdX84BsMj] looked at AM across phenotypes. First, this isn't even genetics, but intelligence ("cognitive performance") had lower AM than education, height, or BMI! https://t.co/mVfkJULYFq

Aug 28, 2023 · 22 likes · 19,931 followers View post →
Bioinformatics Trends 
@BinfoTrends · X

RT @geneXplain: Check out this video where Dr. Kel analyzes SNPs associated with educational attainment using the #TRANSFAC database. Combi…

Aug 29, 2022 · 2 shares · 8,153 followers View post →
CompChemBio Bot
@CompChemBioBot · X

RT @geneXplain: Check out this video where Dr. Kel analyzes SNPs associated with educational attainment using the #TRANSFAC database. Combi…

Aug 29, 2022 · 2 shares · 2,767 followers View post →
geneXplain GmbH
@geneXplain · X

Check out this video where Dr. Kel analyzes SNPs associated with educational attainment using the #TRANSFAC database. Combinations of transcription factor binding sites in genomic enhancers marked by these SNPs are in the focus of the study https://t.co/SjGveB4ei4 #Bioinformatics

Aug 29, 2022 · 3 likes · 2 shares · 402 followers View post →
akhivae
@akhivae · X

RT @WiringTheBrain: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 m…

Aug 5, 2022 · 6 shares · 6,580 followers View post →
Kirsten Hilger
@Kirsten_Hilger · X

Impressive study: "Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals" >> https://t.co/F7Zw8YBp5l

May 10, 2022 · 4 likes · 994 followers View post →
Q≠0
@notadiabatic · X

@AAMortazavi Same! Interesting company, will have to check em out. The issue I have is how scary this tech/information can be if used nefariously. And it inevitably will be used. Things like this (https://t.co/nXbSGHwzap) disgust me and I hate to think that I contribute to it

May 8, 2022 · 120 followers View post →
Roland Baker
@RolandBakerIII · X

Nature: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/sdC6thYeES

Apr 13, 2022 · 1 like · 8,165 followers View post →
Chris Stringer
@ChrisStringer65 · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/56jMZAzApY

Apr 13, 2022 · 2 likes · 1 share · 29,630 followers View post →
Nithyanan Annamalai
@BlackSamrat · X

RT @BioDecoded: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 milli…

Apr 9, 2022 · 1 share · 371 followers View post →
BioDecoded
@BioDecoded · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals | Nature Genetics https://t.co/yJwEhznLYQ #Genomics https://t.co/e1FCg4Mskd

Apr 9, 2022 · 6 likes · 1 share · 8,894 followers View post →
PRS papers
@PRS_pubmed · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/g4AKNBoKp0

Apr 7, 2022 · 398 followers View post →
PRS papers
@PRS_pubmed · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/Qj8GPSsLy3

Apr 7, 2022 · 398 followers View post →
PRS papers
@PRS_pubmed · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/qfmzqhphZL

Apr 6, 2022 · 398 followers View post →
PRS papers
@PRS_pubmed · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/B5KmyPJpwd

Apr 6, 2022 · 398 followers View post →
PRS papers
@PRS_pubmed · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/gTB2Z5YN99

Apr 5, 2022 · 398 followers View post →
One Health Genomics Edinburgh
@GenomicsEdi · X

New paper: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals @UoE_CGEM @EdinUni_IGC @EdinUniUsher https://t.co/sWPtSztKET

Apr 4, 2022 · 1,161 followers View post →
Eric Dmr
@grabomad · X

RT @WiringTheBrain: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 m…

Apr 4, 2022 · 6 shares · 91 followers View post →
PRS papers
@PRS_pubmed · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/5gqzcftVjZ

Apr 4, 2022 · 398 followers View post →
Steve, PhD
@StevOmics · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/4WKsQhqJhB #science #genomics

Apr 3, 2022 · 1 like · 271 followers View post →
Ralph Stadhouders
@R_Stadhouders · X

RT @WiringTheBrain: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 m…

Apr 3, 2022 · 6 shares · 934 followers View post →
S W (NASA social)
@Steve_1o1 · X

RT @sapinker: Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide associati…

Apr 3, 2022 · 8 shares · 12 followers View post →
PRS papers
@PRS_pubmed · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/7Kt51PBfqt

Apr 3, 2022 · 398 followers View post →
Heretike
@heretike · X

RT @sapinker: Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide associati…

Apr 3, 2022 · 8 shares · 67 followers View post →
randy hunter
@randyhunter93 · X

RT @sapinker: Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide associati…

Apr 2, 2022 · 8 shares · 15 followers View post →
oztiger
@oztiger1 · X

RT @sapinker: Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide associati…

Apr 2, 2022 · 8 shares · 1,295 followers View post →
Thmosa (Trno) Lec (nto druenmre) FSInisght.corn
@pjfri1 · X

RT @sapinker: Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide associati…

Apr 2, 2022 · 8 shares · 58 followers View post →
Robert Wilson
@rwilso28 · X

RT @sapinker: Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide associati…

Apr 2, 2022 · 8 shares · 75 followers View post →
Wagner Felix (@nasdaki_wagner)
@astolfi_felix · X

RT @sapinker: Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide associati…

Apr 2, 2022 · 8 shares · 1,721 followers View post →
Steven Pinker
@sapinker · X

Article itself is here: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals | Nature Genetics https://t.co/pwIsuFAT06

Apr 2, 2022 · 38 likes · 8 shares · 855,815 followers View post →
Kevin Mitchell
@WiringTheBrain · X

RT @WiringTheBrain: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 m…

Apr 2, 2022 · 6 shares · 40,248 followers View post →
Rodrigo Nunes Cal
@CalZole · X

RT @NatureGenet:

Apr 2, 2022 · 8 shares · 3,961 followers View post →
PRS papers
@PRS_pubmed · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/76rf7llCyI

Apr 2, 2022 · 398 followers View post →
Reddit Journal of Science
@rsciencejournal · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/I8abtWufPw #science #genetics #polygenic #prediction #attainment #families

Apr 1, 2022 · 332 followers View post →
Hank Greely
@HankGreelyLSJU · X

RT @WiringTheBrain: Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 m…

Apr 1, 2022 · 6 shares · 8,569 followers View post →
Dan Benjamin
@Dan_J_Benjamin · X

RT @NatureGenet:

Apr 1, 2022 · 8 shares · 504 followers View post →
Ronald Robles
@erre_robles · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/968z89WXcN - via Researcher (@ResearcherApp)

Apr 1, 2022 · 72 followers View post →
Kevin Mitchell
@WiringTheBrain · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/34NV5yynvl https://t.co/uKUAnOKDam

Apr 1, 2022 · 31 likes · 6 shares · 40,248 followers View post →
Debbie Kennett
@DebbieKennett · X

Polygenic prediction of educational attainment within and between families from genome-wide association analyses in 3 million individuals https://t.co/GM9EsgtbRw

Apr 1, 2022 · 2 likes · 6,567 followers View post →
와이는에펙스
@foresight0526 · X

RT @NatureGenet:

Apr 1, 2022 · 8 shares · 35 followers View post →
Daniel Oran
@danieloran · X

@ATorkamani For non-experts, there's a helpful FAQ [pdf]. https://t.co/vjIVqatxFO

Mar 31, 2022 · 2 likes · 1,094 followers View post →
Tobias Wolfram
@_twolfram · X

RT @NatureGenet:

Mar 31, 2022 · 8 shares · 905 followers View post →
Marcin Piechota
@marpiech · X

RT @NatureGenet:

Mar 31, 2022 · 8 shares · 175 followers View post →
Alex Strudwick Young
@AlexTISYoung · X

RT @NatureGenet:

Mar 31, 2022 · 8 shares · 6,888 followers View post →
Vivia Khosasih
@khovivia · X

RT @NatureGenet:

Mar 31, 2022 · 8 shares · 239 followers View post →
みのゆ
@minoyu · X

RT @NatureGenet:

Mar 31, 2022 · 8 shares · 501 followers View post →
Nature Genetics
@NatureGenet · X

Mar 31, 2022 · 29 likes · 8 shares · 128,301 followers View post →