Mplus: Genetics Analysis

With the introduction of Mplus Version 4, Mplus has greatly expanded its capabilities for genetics analysis. To show these capabilities, a set of Mx genetics examples from the GenomEUtwin project has been translated to Mplus. They can be accessed in the Examples section for Genetics Analysis using Mplus. In addition, the Mplus User’s Guide contains several genetics examples as shown below.

Two-group twin model for continuous outcomes where factors represent the ACE components (Ex. 5.18)

Two-group twin model for categorical outcomes where factors represent the ACE components (Ex. 5.19)

Two-group twin model for continuous outcomes using parameter constraints (Ex. 5.21)

Two-group twin model for categorical outcomes using parameter constraints (Ex. 5.22)

QTL sibling model for a continuous outcome using parameter constraints (Ex. 5.23)

Two-group twin model for categorical outcomes using maximum likelihood and parameter constraints (Ex. 7.28)

Two-group IRT twin model for factors with categorical factor indicators using parameter constraints (Ex. 7.29)

The example numbers in parentheses refer to the Version 5 Mplus User's Guide where these features are described.

The page numbers in parentheses refer to the pages in the Version 5 Mplus User's Guide where these features are described.

Recent Genetics Papers Using Special Mplus Features

Paquin, S., Lacourse, E., Brendgen, M., Vitaro, F., Dionne, G., Tremblay, R.E., & Boivin, M. (2017). Heterogeneity in the development of proactive and reactive aggression in childhood: Common and specific genetic - environmental factors. PLoS ONE 12(12): e0188730. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188730
Dinescu, D., Horn, E. E., Duncan, G., & Turkheimer, E. (2016). Socioeconomic modifiers of genetic and environmental influences on body mass index in adult twins. Health Psychology. DOI: 10.1037/hea0000255.
Zyphur, M. J., Zhang, Z., Barsky, A. P., & Li, W. D. (2013). An ACE in the hole: Twin family models for applied behavioral genetics research. The Leadership Quarterly, 24(4), 572-594. DOI: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2013.04.001
Hunter, A.M., Leuchter, A.F., Power, R.A., Muthén, B., McGrath, P.J., Lewis, C.M., Cook, I.A., Garriock, H.A., McGuffin, P., Uher, R., & Hamilton, S.P. (2013). A genome-wide association study of a sustained pattern of antidepressant response. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 47(9), 1157-1165. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.05.002
Kerner, B. & Muthén, B.(2009). Growth mixture modelling in families of the Framingham Heart Study. BMC Proceedings, 3, 1-5.
Bartels, M., Cacioppo, J.T., Hudziak, J.J., & Boomsma, D. I. (2008). Genetic and environmental contributions to stability in loneliness throughout childhood. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B, 147B, 385-391.
D'Onofrio, B.M., Hulle, C.A., Waldman, I.D., Rodgers, J. L. Harden, K.P., Rathouz, P.J. & Lahey, B.B. (2008). Smoking during pregnancy and offspring externalizing problems: An exploration of genetic and environmental confounds. Development and Psychopathology, 20, 139-164.
Rathouz, P.J., Hulle, C.A., Rodgers, J.L., Waldman, I.D., & Lahey, B.B. (2008). Specification, testing, and interpretation of gene-by-measured-environment interaction models in the presence of gene-environment correlations. Behavior Genetics, 38, 301-315.
Boomsma, D., Cacioppo, J., Muthén, B., Asparouhov, T. & Clark, S. (2007). Longitudinal genetic analysis for loneliness in Dutch twins. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 10, 267-273.
Harden, K.P., Turkheimer, E. & Loehlin, J.C. (2006). Genotype by environment interaction in adolescents’ cognitive aptitude. Behavioral Genetics.
Muthén, B., Asparouhov, T. & Rebollo, I. (2006). Advances in behavioral genetics modeling using Mplus: Applications of factor mixture modeling to twin data. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 9, 313-324.
Prescott, C.A. (2004). Using the Mplus computer program to estimate models for continuous and categorical data from twins. Behavior Genetics, 34, 17- 40. (Mplus scripts).

For more information, visit our General Description page.