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Effects of environmental changes on the phenotypic expression of human polygenic traits

Effects of environmental changes on the phenotypic expression of human polygenic traits Summary The very large increase in adult stature during the last century is well documented for many countries and this phenomenon has been associated with the rapid improvement of environmental conditions. In the case of Italy, data relative to its regions and drawn from the military records of the last century showed a rapid normalization (i.e. elimination of both negative skewness and hyperkurtosis) of the distribution (1874–1938), followed by acceleration of the average increase (1938–57), which is now approaching a plateau (1957–64). Two different interactions between genotype and environment are hypothesized: the curve normalization is interpreted as being due to the elimination of extremely unfavourable conditions which inhibit growth, while the rapid stature increase is possibly due to the achievement of an environmental threshold, such as to permit a complete expression of the genetic potential. In fact, under the multifactorial model, a perfectly normal distribution is expected, unless there is differential selection before age 18. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Annals of Human Genetics Wiley

Effects of environmental changes on the phenotypic expression of human polygenic traits

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References (11)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 1988 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
0003-4800
eISSN
1469-1809
DOI
10.1111/j.1469-1809.1988.tb01113.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Summary The very large increase in adult stature during the last century is well documented for many countries and this phenomenon has been associated with the rapid improvement of environmental conditions. In the case of Italy, data relative to its regions and drawn from the military records of the last century showed a rapid normalization (i.e. elimination of both negative skewness and hyperkurtosis) of the distribution (1874–1938), followed by acceleration of the average increase (1938–57), which is now approaching a plateau (1957–64). Two different interactions between genotype and environment are hypothesized: the curve normalization is interpreted as being due to the elimination of extremely unfavourable conditions which inhibit growth, while the rapid stature increase is possibly due to the achievement of an environmental threshold, such as to permit a complete expression of the genetic potential. In fact, under the multifactorial model, a perfectly normal distribution is expected, unless there is differential selection before age 18.

Journal

Annals of Human GeneticsWiley

Published: Jul 1, 1988

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