Advances in Twin and Sib-Pair Analysis

Twin and family data have traditionally been used to quantify the genetic and environmental contribution to disease. Through the application of new analytical approaches, these designs can also provide powerful models in which the search for specific genes underlying non-Mendelian diseases can be optimized. This book discusses the state-of-the art in twin and sib-pair analysis of complex disease both from the perspective of epidemiology (study design, subject selection, sampling strategies) and biostatistics (path analysis, survival analysis, linkage analysis, association studies). Novel ways are discussed in which twins and sib-pairs can be used to meet the challenge of identifying the location and function of genes underlying complex traits.