A Genetic Epidemiological Study of Behavioral Traits

textabstractHuman behavioural genetics aims to unravel the genetic and environmental contributions to variations in human behaviour. Behaviour is a complex trait, involving multiple genes that are affected by a variety of other factors. Genetic epidemiological research of behaviour goes back to Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911), who systematically studied heredity of human behaviour and mind, introducing major statistical concepts such as correlation and regression towards the mean. After a brief period in which genetic research of behaviour fell into dismay as a result of its association to eugenics and the Nazi regime, there is at present growing scientific interest in genes and behaviour. Without a doubt, behaviour in humans and animals is for a large part genetically determined1. In this thesis, I have limited myself to a number of diseases and traits