Factor Structure of Planning and Problem-solving: A Behavioral Genetic Analysis of the Tower of London Task in Middle-aged Twins |
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| Authors: | William S Kremen Kristen C Jacobson Matthew S Panizzon Hong Xian Lindon J Eaves Seth A Eisen Ming T Tsuang and Michael J Lyons |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Psychiatry, Center for Behavioral Genomics, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive (MC 0738), La Jolla, CA 92093-0738, USA;(2) Department of Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA;(3) Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Louis, MO, USA;(4) Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA;(5) Department of Human Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA;(6) Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, USA;(7) Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA;(8) Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA |
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| Abstract: | We examined the genetic architecture of a Tower of London test of planning and problem-solving in 690 middle-aged male twins.
Phenotypic analyses revealed only one general factor, but the best-fitting genetic model indicated two correlated genetic
factors: speed and efficiency. One variable—number of attempts required to mentally figure the puzzles—loaded on both factors.
Shared environmental effects could be dropped with virtually no reduction in model fit. Despite significant nonshared environmental
correlations across measures, there was no discernable nonshared environmental factor structure. The correlation between genetic
factors (r = 0.46) and the variable loading on both factors could reflect modulation of planning, testing alternatives, and working
memory that are required to perform the test. Such coordinated activity is consistent with the notion of a supervisory attentional
system, a central executive, or metacognitive ability. The different phenotypic and genetic factor results suggest that relying
solely on the former could obscure genetic associations.
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| Keywords: | Executive function Tower of London Working memory Metacognition Genetic factors Aging |
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