Researchers from the University of Oxford and King's College London discovered that almost 50 percent of the genes that influence a child's reading ability are the same genes that control his mathematical aptitude.
Dr Chris Spencer, lead author of the study from Oxford University, and his colleagues looked at the data of 2,800 12-year old children from families in the United Kingdom. The researchers focused their analysis on the role of genes in math and reading capabilities of the participants.
Unrelated children and twins were assessed for their fluency in reading, as well as their comprehension of the material. They also answered math questions which were all based in the U.K. national curriculum. The data gathered from the tests were then compared to the children's DNA.
"We looked at this question in two ways, by comparing the similarity of thousands of twins, and by measuring millions of tiny differences in their DNA. Both analyses show that similar collections of subtle DNA differences are important for reading and maths," Dr. Oliver Davis, co-author of the study from UCL Genetics, said in a press release.
This study was the first to examine the role of genes on a child's learning capabilities through analyzing the DNA. The study, however, was unable to pinpoint which genes particularly work on reading and math skills, but it discovered that the genes have a significant influence on learning abilities.
It also confirmed the findings of earlier studies that proved that the genetic differences account for differences in children's learning abilities. Researchers recommended an adjustment on the educational system based on the genetic differences of the children.
"Children differ genetically in how easy or difficult they find learning, and we need to recognize, and respect, these individual differences. It just means it may take more effort from parents, schools and teachers to bring the child up to speed," said Prof. Robert Plomin of King's College London in a press release.
Further details of this study were published in the July 12 issue of Nature Communications.
