rs10475186 (IRX2-DT): Educational Attainment SNP
Key takeaways
- rs10475186 near IRX2-DT and LINC01377 is one of 1,271 variants linked to years of schooling in a study of 1.1 million people.
- The typical effect for these variants is about 1.7 weeks of schooling per allele.
- All 1,271 variants together explain roughly 11-13% of differences in educational attainment.
- The study used European-descent populations only, so findings may not generalize to all groups.
- No single variant, including this one, comes close to determining educational outcomes on its own.
Key takeaways
- rs10475186, located near the IRX2-DT and LINC01377 genes, was identified as a genome-wide significant signal for educational attainment.
- This variant was one of 1,271 independent genome-wide significant SNPs found in a study of approximately 1.1 million individuals of European descent.
- The typical per-allele effect across lead variants in that study was about 1.7 weeks of schooling (range at 5th-95th percentile: 1.1 to 2.6 weeks).
- Polygenic scores built from all associated variants explain roughly 11-13% of educational attainment variance.
- Evidence comes from a single large study limited to European-descent populations; independent replication of this specific variant is not described in the available source.
What the research says A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of approximately 1.1 million individuals identified 1,271 independent SNPs at genome-wide significance (P < 5 x 10^-8) for educational attainment, measured as years of schooling completed, and rs10475186 near the IRX2-DT and LINC01377 loci is among them. The median per-allele effect across lead variants was 1.7 weeks of schooling (5th-95th percentile: 1.1 to 2.6 weeks), with individual effect sizes adjusted for winner's curse using a Bayesian statistical framework. Genes implicated across the full set of identified variants are enriched for roles in brain-development processes and neuron-to-neuron communication.
Reported associations
- Educational attainment (years of schooling): rs10475186 was among 1,271 genome-wide significant SNPs in a study of approximately 1.1 million individuals of European descent; the median per-allele effect across lead variants was 1.7 weeks of schooling, and the specific effect size for this variant individually is not reported in the available source text.
Evidence quality This association derives from a single large GWAS (N approximately 1.1 million, European-descent individuals only) that applied LD Score regression, estimating that roughly 5% of test-statistic inflation was attributable to bias and the remainder to genuine polygenic signal. Within-family analyses in four sibling cohorts (22,135 sibling pairs) were conducted to test robustness against population stratification. The individual p-value and effect size for this variant are not separately reported in the available source text. The study was restricted to European-descent populations, limiting conclusions about other ancestries. No independent replication of this variant in a separate cohort is described in the provided source material, making this a preliminary finding with respect to this specific SNP.
Lifestyle considerations No lifestyle considerations on file for this variant.
Frequently asked questions
What is rs10475186?
rs10475186 is a common DNA variant located near two genes, IRX2-DT and LINC01377. It was identified as statistically significant in a large genetic study examining how DNA variation relates to how long people stay in school.
Is rs10475186 linked to educational attainment?
Yes. A genome-wide association study of approximately 1.1 million individuals identified rs10475186 as one of 1,271 independent variants associated with years of schooling completed. The average per-allele effect across these lead variants was about 1.7 weeks of schooling.
How was this variant discovered?
It was identified through a genome-wide association study that scanned roughly 10 million DNA variants across more than one million individuals of European descent. The study used LD Score regression and within-family analyses to confirm that the associations reflect genuine genetic signal rather than statistical artifacts.
Does this variant determine how educated someone will be?
No. Even all 1,271 identified variants combined explain only about 11-13% of differences in educational attainment, and many non-genetic factors also shape educational outcomes. This individual variant has a very small effect on its own.
Does this finding apply to all populations?
The study was conducted exclusively in individuals of European descent, so it is not known whether the same association holds in other ancestry groups. The authors did not report analyses in non-European populations.