Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with reading ability show connection to socio-economic outcomes

Impairments in reading and in language have negative consequences on life outcomes. Whether genes influence this association is unknown. We constructed polygenic scores for difficulties with language and learning to read from... [ view full abstract ]

Impairments in reading and in language have negative consequences on life outcomes. Whether genes influence this association is unknown. We constructed polygenic scores for difficulties with language and learning to read from genome-wide data in ~6,600 children, adolescents and young adults, and tested their association with health, socioeconomic outcomes and brain structure measures collected in adults (maximal N=111,749). Polygenic risk of reading difficulties was associated with reduced income, educational attainment, self-rated health and verbal-numerical reasoning (p< .00055). Polygenic risk of language difficulties predicted income (p=.0005). The small effect sizes ranged 0.01 to 0.03 of a standard deviation, but these will increase as genetic studies for reading ability get larger. The observed association may arise from behavioural-mediation of communication to social outcomes via attained reading ability unrelated to general cognitive function or educational attainment. Polygenic scores for cognitive function and educational attainment were uncorrelated with polygenic scores of reading and language. Mendelian randomization approaches will be important to dissociate any causal and moderating effects of reading and related traits on social outcomes.