Genome-wide association study

Physics

Pathology

Disease

Multifactorial Inheritance

Genetic variation

Evolutionary biology

Biology

Gene

Trait

Genotype

Genetic association

Single-nucleotide polymorphism

Genetic epidemiology

Programming language

Computer science

Quantum mechanics

Causality (physics)

Genetic correlation

Computational biology

Genetics

Medicine

Quantitative trait locus

Nature Reviews Genetics

The genetic correlation describes the genetic relationship between two traits and can contribute to a better understanding of the shared biological pathways and/or the causality relationships between them. The rarity of large family cohorts with recorded instances of two traits, particularly disease traits, has made it difficult to estimate genetic correlations using traditional epidemiological approaches. However, advances in genomic methodologies, such as genome-wide association studies, and widespread sharing of data now allow genetic correlations to be estimated for virtually any trait pair. Here, we review the definition, estimation, interpretation and uses of genetic correlations, with a focus on applications to human disease. In this Review, van Rheenen et al. outline how improved methodologies have enabled genetic correlations to be estimated for almost any trait pair. Genetic correlations can improve our understanding of the shared biology and causal relationships between traits.

Genetic correlations of polygenic disease traits: from theory to practice