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A Longitudinal Study of Aging Human Twins

  • Chapter
The Genetics of Aging

Abstract

Just about a century ago, Galton (1876) initiated the use of twins in human research, thus taking advantage of the regular natural occurrence of both monozygotic (one-egg or identical) and dizygotic (two-egg or fraternal) twins. Inasmuch as monozygotic (MZ) twins are genetically identical—whereas dizygotic (DZ) twins are no more alike in terms of their genes than any pair of nontwin siblings—and since twin partners generally share a similar environment from conception on, comparisons of differences between the two members of a twin pair provide cues to genetic and environmental influences on various traits. To say it another way, if within-pair differences are significantly smaller for one-egg than for two-egg pairs (i.e., if the one-egg pairs have the significantly higher concordance rates), then we have presumptive evidence for a significant influence of genetic factors on that trait.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

    Lew Bank

  2. Veterans Administration Hospital, Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Lew Bank & Lissy F. Jarvik

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

    Lissy F. Jarvik

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  1. Lew Bank
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  2. Lissy F. Jarvik
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Gerontology Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Edward L. Schneider

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© 1978 Plenum Press, New York

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Bank, L., Jarvik, L.F. (1978). A Longitudinal Study of Aging Human Twins. In: Schneider, E.L. (eds) The Genetics of Aging. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2445-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2445-4_11

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