A birth-record based Registry is nearing completion of some 8,000 pairs of twins born in Minnesota from 1936 to 1955, plus some 1,200 pairs of male twins born 1971-81. The middle-aged twins were recruited with graded incentives so that ease of recruitment could be measured; it was found that pairs concordant for ease of recruitment were no more similar than discordant pairs in education, socioeconomic status (SES), or a variety of personality and interest factors, ie, that selection bias may not be a problem in research with adult twins when contacts are only by mail. A 50% decrease in neonatal mortality from 1936-55 to 1971-81 was associated with an increase from 3.5 to 4.0 per thousand in the frequency of viable MZ twin births. The broad heritability of SES, educational attainment, fecundity, and risk for divorce ranges from 0.30 to 0.50, although all 4 variables are plainly multifactorial and the latter 2 both involve variance contributed by a second person. Investigators interested in making use of this research resource are invited to submit proposals.

The multiple regression analysis of twin data in which a cotwin's score is predicted from a proband's score and the coefficient of relationship (the basic model) provides a statistically powerful test of genetic etiology. When an augmented model that also contains an interaction term is fitted to the same data set, direct estimates of heritability (h2) and the proportion of variance due to shared environmental influences (c2) are obtained. A simple transformation of selected twin data prior to regression analysis facilitates direct estimates of h2g (an index of the extent to which the difference between the mean of probands and that of the unselected population is heritable) and a test of the hypothesis that the etiology of deviant scores differs from that of variation within the normal range.

A Vietnam Era (1964-1975) Twin Registry of American male-male veterans born between 1939 and 1955 has been developed to provide a study sample for research evaluating the impact of Vietnam service on the medical and psychosocial aspects of health. In preparation for developing the Registry, several alternative sources of twins and methods for identifying twins were investigated. A computerized database of veterans discharged from the military after 1967 was selected as the source because it contains about 50% of the total Vietnam era veteran population, is reasonably unbiased, and provides a feasible method for identifying twins. Twins were identified using an algorithm which involved matching entries on the database for same last name, different first name, same date of birth, and similar social security number. Twin status was confirmed by review of military records. The registry, now complete, is composed of 7,400 twin pairs. It will be an important resource for future research projects.

The Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA) is a longitudinal program of research in gerontological genetics which is currently in its fifth year. The base population is comprised of 351 pairs of twins reared apart and 407 matched control pairs of twins reared together who responded to a questionnaire (Q1) in 1984. Two additional stages of SATSA have recently been completed: a longitudinal follow-up questionnaire mailed out in 1987 (Q2) and extensive in-person testing (IPT1) which included a health examination and cognitive battery. A second wave of IPT was started in January 1989. A summary of some of the major findings from Q1 and a description of IPT1 are reported.

A mailed questionnaire dealing with similarity in childhood, and how often and by whom the twins were mixed up, was applied to 290 same-sex adult twin pairs. For about 75% of pairs ten genetic markers were analysed. The agreement in zygosity classification between questionnaire and blood typing was high. Irrespective of whether raw scores or discriminant function analysis was applied, the agreement was nearly 95%. When a decision tree was applied, the percentage rose to nearly 96%. Considering that probably four of the twin pairs were wrongly classified as MZ by genetic markers, the percentage rose to 96 and 98, respectively.

A sample of twins separated early in life has been identified in the Swedish Twin Registry. When the registry was compiled in 1961 (old cohort) and 1973 (young cohort), one or both members of 961 pairs indicated that they were separated by the age of 10. In May 1979, both members of 698 pairs were alive and were sent a questionnaire concerning the circumstances of separation. Items included reasons and timing of separation, biological relatedness of rearing parents, degree of contact after separation (including whether they lived in the same area, attended the same school, or lived together again), rough measures of selective placement, and current frequency of contact. An attempt was then made to categorize the pairs based on degree of separation. A total of 257 pairs met the criteria: rearing parents of one twin biologically unrelated to rearing parents of the cotwin, twins not living together again after separation, and contact after separation a few times a year or less. As much as 50% were separated by their first birthday, and 80% by the age of five. Various data from the twin registry are presented describing the entire sample of early separated twins as compared to a matched sample of twins reared together.

Twin methodology for the analysis of continuously distributed traits is presented as a guideline for initial steps in the analysis of twin data. Tests for heterogeneity of twin means and variances are reviewed along with estimates of genetic variance.

Analysis of twin data appears on the surface to be a rather simple task, but investigators may well be confused by the wealth of choices available for hypothesis testing. This paper is designed to help the less experienced investigator, with perhaps a modest amount of data, begin analysis with maximum attention to testing all testable assumptions of the twin model, and using recent examples of applications of the methods.

Subjects were 189 twin pairs, 165 MZ and 24 same-sexed DZ, who entered the junior high school affiliated to Tokyo University (sample T), and 93 twin pairs, 71 MZ and 22 same-sexed DZ, who were registered at Kinki University (sample K). The zygosity was previously identified by many genetic markers, and this study aimed at zygosity diagnosis by questionnaire. The latter included three questions: “How are you alike?”, “How often are you mistaken?”, and “By whom are you mistaken?”. According to the degree, 1-3 points, 1-3 points, and 1-4 points were given for each question, and the sum of the points of each pair of twins was calculated. Zygosity was determined by the sum of points, distributed from 6 to 20. Namely, if the sum was 6-13, the twin pair was considered MZ, and if the sum was 14-20, DZ. More than 90% of twins were diagnosed correctly by use of this cutting point. This result was in accordance with that obtained by use of discriminant function analysis. It is concluded that zygosity diagnosis by questionnaire is convenient and useful, in particular for epidemiological research.

In general, it has not been recognized that many twin or multiple gestations are lost in utero early in pregnancy. Until the advent of ultrasound, the ability to document early human fetal loss in multiple gestation was difficult. However, recent reports of serial ultrasound examinations of pregnant women have documented the “disappearance” of at least one of two gestational rings. Furthermore, the number of twins observed at delivery was significantly less than the number of twin conceptions originally identified by ultrasound during the first trimester. These observations led to the concept of the “vanishing twin” [8,10,13,15,17,20,22,35,41].

In order to obtain reference and personal data on this subject, we reviewed the literature and corresponded with members of the International Society for Twin Studies and obstetricians affiliated with Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois. The nine studies that have documented this phenomenon cite “disappearance” rates ranging from 0% to 78%, depending on patient population and timing of ultrasonography [8,10,13,15,17,20,22,35,41]. Several explanations are offered: physiological mechanisms of “disappearance” (resorption or formation of a blighted ovum or fetus papyraceus), artifactual error, incomplete scanning technique, and poor quality ultrasound equipment. The only complication thus far associated with “disappearance” of a fetus is slight vaginal bleeding.

A description is given of the Danish Twin Register which is based on the total twin population born in Denmark in the years 1870-1910 with a more recent addition of all same-sexed pairs from the period 1911-1920. Twins belonging to pairs where one or both partners are found to have died before attaining the age of six years are disregarded in the more intensive studies whereas the remaining part of the twin population is being followed by periodical inquiries.

The methods used in the collection of the material, in the establishment of the zygosity diagnosis and in specific investigations of selected diseases and abnormalities are described and discussed.

A survey is given of the more important results of the research based on the Register. In the group of somatic diseases, greatest attention has so far been paid to malignant growths, diabetes mellitus and peptic ulcer. A number of psychiatric disorders and deviations are at present being studied with schizophrenia and criminality as the first subjects for intensive research. Some of the main results obtained are given as illustrations of the potentialities and scope of this approach to the application of twin studies in a broad variety of research areas.

In a study carried out in an African population in Western Nigeria and a Caucasian population in Aberdeen, Scotland, it was found that DZ twinning rates varied with maternal age and parity, the MZ twinning rate remaining fairly constant. However, women aged 30–34 were found to have the highest rate in Western Nigeria whereas the peak in Aberdeen population occurred in the older age group, 35–39 years. Other factors that influenced DZ twinning rates were maternal height, social class and ethnicity (in the Nigerian population), and illegitimacy (in the Aberdeen population). No significant association was found between twinning and maternal blood groups or season of the year in either of the two populations. An important factor that also influenced twinning in the two populations was the maternal serum FSH level. The levels were much higher in the Nigerian population than in the Aberdeen population. Furthermore, in the Aberdeen population, twin-prone and non-twin-prone women had similar serum FSH levels, whereas the levels were much higher in twin-prone women in the Nigerian population. This finding is consistent with the fact that the Nigerian population has a much higher twinning incidence (approximately 50 per 1,000 maternities) than Aberdeen population (approximately 12 per 1,000 maternities).

The ongoing comprehensive study of the updated population-based Norwegian Twin Panel (like-sexed twin pairs born since 1915) has already given results of interest to the research on coronary heart disease and its risk factors. Significantly more dizygotic (DZ) than monozygotic (MZ) pairs are discordant for death between 40 and 60 years of age. Presumably, several of the cases must have been coronary heart disease deaths. In pairs where both members are alive, concordance rate for coronary heart disease before the age of 60 years is significantly higher in MZ than in DZ pairs. Concordance rate for reported hypertension is significantly higher in MZ than in DZ pairs. These findings are compatible with a significant genetic effect on premature death, coronary heart disease and hypertension.

There is a strong genetic effect on serum level of apoB, apoA-I and apoA-II, a weaker effect on cholesterol level and a doubtful effect on triglyceride level. Genes belonging to several normal genetic polymorphisms may participate in the control of environmentally/dietary caused variability in lipid and lipoprotein parameters. The study of MZ twins that was conducted to detect these effects holds considerable promise for the detection of gene control of many kinds of quantitative parameters. Further work with this twin panel may provide more definite answers to several questions raised during the present investigation. Application of more sophisticated models for twin family analysis on several normal and pathological traits may be very informative. Also, this updated Norwegian Twin Panel should in the long run make it possible to estimate the predictive value for the second member of a twin pair of having a twin contracting coronary heart disease (or any other reasonably frequent disease) by a given age. Finally, the subsample that is subjected to extensive laboratory analyses will provide useful data for genetic linkage analyses since in many cases, offspring of two members of a MZ pair can effectively be considered as one single (more informative) sibship.

While language, articulation and reading problems have been well documented in young twins, it is not clear how extensive such problems can be or how early in childhood they become evident. At the age of 30 months, twin boys in the La Trobe Twin Study were 8 months behind matched singletons and twin girls on expressive language and 6 months behind on verbal comprehension. They were also 5 months behind on symbolic play and this delay was closely related to language. “Secret” language characterised most of the twin boys but not the girls and the relation of this to articulation delays is discussed. To examine if exposure to other children helps the twin boys, 38-53 month old twins and singletons were matched on the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale at the time of starting preschool. The twin boys had more articulation problems and all twins scored much lower on a Sociability questionnaire completed by the teacher. After 8 months at preschool, all children had advanced in Sociability, but the twins remained just as far behind with poor Sociability relating to poor articulation. The role of intervention programs is discussed.

Malformations in twins were studied with the use of a Medical Birth Registry covering nearly all births in Sweden, 1973-1981. A total of 15,427 infants marked twins were identified and the malformation diagnoses were analyzed, comparing rates with the overall rates in the same data source. Problems in ascertainment and interpretation are discussed. No excess of neural tube defects was seen, but hydrocephaly was diagnosed more often in twins than in singletons. This can be partly, but not completely, explained by a higher rate of low-weight infants among twins. An excess was noticed in twins in the rates of cardiac defects, spine defects, gut atresias – notably esophageal and anal atresia – and severe kidney malformations. These are components of the so-called VACTERL syndrome – the last component (limb reductions) being more common in twins than in singletons, though statistical significance was not reached. A relation between monozygotic twinning and this syndrome is tentatively suggested.

This paper presents a historical view of the development of the concept of ectodermal dysplasia, analyses five current “definitions” of the group, and classifies 52-57 ectodermal dysplasias into subgroups on the basis of criteria developed by the Author.

In 773 three-generation families of twins, individual probability of nonrighthandedness (NRH) depends significantly on the handedness of that individual's parents. The parents of twins are much more often NRH than are their nontwinbearing siblings. The twins and their siblings apparently inherit the excess liability for NRH shown by their parents. Monozygotic (MZ) pairs are significantly about twice as often concordant (casewise) for handedness as dizygotic (DZ) pairs. Overall, the best-fitting mode of transmission is autosomal, NRH dominant to RH with penetrance of about 50% in the heterozygote, or multifactorial, with heritability of 60–70%. Under the major-gene approach, heterogeneity seems likely, with about one-third of the families showing no NRH outside of the twin sibships. MZ/DZ concordance ratio is about four in those families, suggestive of recessive inheritance. A 1.16-fold excess of NRH in twins compared to their siblings, and a 1.8-fold excess in the second-born members of same-sex discordant pairs, leaves open the possibility that a minor portion of NRH in twins may be secondary to transient hypoxia and/or acidosis.

The inheritance of General Neurotic, Obsessive, and Impulsive Hysterical personality traits has been studied in a sample of 260 female and male adult same-sexed twins. At least one of the twins in each pair had been treated for neurotic or borderline disorders. The results showed that the General neurotic and the obsessive personality factor had a significantly but moderately high hereditary component. The same was also true for more than half of the 17 separate personality scales. No personality scales emerged as highly hereditary. Therefore, each item was analyzed separately, and items classified as either distinctly hereditary or environmental were placed in each of these two groups. The items of the two groups were separately factor-analyzed, and three hereditary and three environmental main factors emerged. The hereditary factors seemed to represent a basic core in the three personality factors of the total questionnaire, whereas the environmental factors could be explained as derivatives of early representation of the basic hereditary core, influenced by familial and cultural patterns.

A genetic analysis of alcohol consumption in 3810 pairs of adult twins is reported. When no correction was made for age, individual environmental variance, including non-repeatable errors of reporting, accounted for approximately 44% of variation in both sexes. In females, there was no evidence of shared environmental effects and 56% of the variance was genetic in origin. In males, only 36% of the variance was genetic and common environmental effects accounted for the remaining 20% of individual differences.

For females, the results for younger (30 years and under) and older (over 30) twins were similar. For males, however, the effect of age was striking. In younger male twins over 60% of the variance was genetic in origin, with the remaining variance due to environmental influences unique to the indiviudal. In older twins genetic differences do not appear to be important, with approximately 50% of the total variance due to individual environmental differences and the remaining 50% due to the effect of the common family environment. Our results suggest that both age and sex need to be considered when analysing the causes of variation in alcohol consumption.

In the La Trobe Twin Study, data are collected on temperament and social development in 3-15 year old twins and singletons from four different sources: questionnaires to parents covering development from birth to the present plus the Bristol Social Adjustment Guide completed by the teacher, Sattler's Behavior and Attitude Checklist completed by the tester, and the Qualitative Score on the Porteus Maze Test. Particular stresses are identified which the parents perceive as distinguishing a multiple from a singleton birth. Whereas they perceive no differences between the first and second-born in birth complications, the second-born is judged less favourably particularly in MZ pairs. The distinction continues in the later assessments by the teacher and tester, where in addition the male twins are seen as being different from other children both in cognition and in temperament. It is proposed that social and cognitive development of twins are interrelated and have two unique components, one related to the greater problems accompanying a multiple birth and the other to comparisons between cotwins.

The objective of this study was to determine the birthweight and gestational age associated with the lowest fetal mortality for twins and triplets. The study design was a population-based analysis of all live births and fetal deaths in the US between 1983-88. Fetal mortality was compared by categories of birthweight and gestational age, for twins and triplets versus singletons, and within each plurality by the lowest rate compared to all other rates as relative risks ± 95% Cls. The overall versus lowest fetal death rate per 1,000 conceptions for singletons was 4.3 versus 0.9 at 3700-4000 g and 40-41 weeks; for twins, 15.5 versus 3.3 at 2500-2800 g and 36-37 weeks; and for triplets, 21.0 versus 5.2 at 1900-2200 g at 34-35 weeks. Beyond these plurality-specific lowest ranges, the risk of fetal death increased, more for twins than singletons, and most for triplets. To conclude, fetal death rates can be reduced by 75-80% with attainment of birthweight and gestational age within a plurality-specific ideal range.