Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood

D Fraemke; L Paulus; I Schuurmans; J-H Walter; D Czamara; A M Schowe; A deSteiguer; P T Tanksley; A Okbay; B Mönkediek; J Instinske; M M Nöthen; C K L Dißelkamp; A J Forstner; E B Binder; C Kandler; F M Spinath; U Lindenberger; M Malanchini; C A M Cecil; C Mitchell; K P Harden; E M Tucker-Drob; L Raffington

doi:10.64898/2026.04.01.715866

Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood

D Fraemke
, L Paulus
, I Schuurmans
, J-H Walter
, D Czamara
, A M Schowe
, A deSteiguer
, P T Tanksley
, A Okbay
, B Mönkediek
, J Instinske
, M M Nöthen
, C K L Dißelkamp
, A J Forstner
, E B Binder
, C Kandler
, F M Spinath
, U Lindenberger
, M Malanchini
, C A M Cecil

C Mitchell, K P Harden, E M Tucker-Drob, L Raffington

Clinical Development
Saarland University
Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry
University of Texas at Austin
Texas State University
School of Business and Economics
Bielefeld University
University of Bonn
Max Planck Institute for Human Development
Queen Mary University of London
Survey Research Center and Population Studies Center
Institute for Social Research
University of Michigan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Large-scale genomic studies have identified biomarkers of adult cognitive functioning and educational attainment, yet the developmental pathways connecting these biomarkers to adult outcomes remain unclear. Drawing on four cohorts, we examined the developmental correlates of an epigenetic index of adult cognitive function ('Epigenetic-g') alongside polygenic indices of cognition and education. Epigenetic-g and polygenic indices were uncorrelated and captured distinct variation in children's cognitive and academic performance. Longitudinal analyses revealed that Epigenetic-g is plastic in early childhood, reaching moderate stability by adolescence, and, unlike polygenic indices, is not related to longitudinal cognitive growth. Twin models indicated that Epigenetic-g captures genetic and unique environmental variation relevant to cognitive and academic achievement that is not identified by current polygenic indices. Epigenetic indices relevant to psychological development can be generated from DNA methylation studies of adults, with most variation in these indices emerging early in life.

Original language	English
Journal	bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.01.715866
Publication status	Published - 3 Apr 2026
Externally published	Yes

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4 Quality Education

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10.64898/2026.04.01.715866

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Fraemke, D., Paulus, L., Schuurmans, I., Walter, J.-H., Czamara, D., Schowe, A. M., deSteiguer, A., Tanksley, P. T., Okbay, A., Mönkediek, B., Instinske, J., Nöthen, M. M., Dißelkamp, C. K. L., Forstner, A. J., Binder, E. B., Kandler, C., Spinath, F. M., Lindenberger, U., Malanchini, M., ... Raffington, L. (2026). Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.01.715866

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title = "Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood",

abstract = "Large-scale genomic studies have identified biomarkers of adult cognitive functioning and educational attainment, yet the developmental pathways connecting these biomarkers to adult outcomes remain unclear. Drawing on four cohorts, we examined the developmental correlates of an epigenetic index of adult cognitive function ('Epigenetic-g') alongside polygenic indices of cognition and education. Epigenetic-g and polygenic indices were uncorrelated and captured distinct variation in children's cognitive and academic performance. Longitudinal analyses revealed that Epigenetic-g is plastic in early childhood, reaching moderate stability by adolescence, and, unlike polygenic indices, is not related to longitudinal cognitive growth. Twin models indicated that Epigenetic-g captures genetic and unique environmental variation relevant to cognitive and academic achievement that is not identified by current polygenic indices. Epigenetic indices relevant to psychological development can be generated from DNA methylation studies of adults, with most variation in these indices emerging early in life.",

author = "D Fraemke and L Paulus and I Schuurmans and J-H Walter and D Czamara and Schowe, \{A M\} and A deSteiguer and Tanksley, \{P T\} and A Okbay and B M{\"o}nkediek and J Instinske and N{\"o}then, \{M M\} and Di{\ss}elkamp, \{C K L\} and Forstner, \{A J\} and Binder, \{E B\} and C Kandler and Spinath, \{F M\} and U Lindenberger and M Malanchini and Cecil, \{C A M\} and C Mitchell and Harden, \{K P\} and Tucker-Drob, \{E M\} and L Raffington",

year = "2026",

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Fraemke, D, Paulus, L, Schuurmans, I, Walter, J-H, Czamara, D, Schowe, AM, deSteiguer, A, Tanksley, PT, Okbay, A, Mönkediek, B, Instinske, J, Nöthen, MM, Dißelkamp, CKL, Forstner, AJ, Binder, EB, Kandler, C, Spinath, FM, Lindenberger, U, Malanchini, M, Cecil, CAM, Mitchell, C, Harden, KP, Tucker-Drob, EM & Raffington, L 2026, 'Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood', bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.01.715866

TY - JOUR

T1 - Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood

AU - Fraemke, D

AU - Paulus, L

AU - Schuurmans, I

AU - Walter, J-H

AU - Czamara, D

AU - Schowe, A M

AU - deSteiguer, A

AU - Tanksley, P T

AU - Okbay, A

AU - Mönkediek, B

AU - Instinske, J

AU - Nöthen, M M

AU - Dißelkamp, C K L

AU - Forstner, A J

AU - Binder, E B

AU - Kandler, C

AU - Spinath, F M

AU - Lindenberger, U

AU - Malanchini, M

AU - Cecil, C A M

AU - Mitchell, C

AU - Harden, K P

AU - Tucker-Drob, E M

AU - Raffington, L

PY - 2026/4/3

Y1 - 2026/4/3

N2 - Large-scale genomic studies have identified biomarkers of adult cognitive functioning and educational attainment, yet the developmental pathways connecting these biomarkers to adult outcomes remain unclear. Drawing on four cohorts, we examined the developmental correlates of an epigenetic index of adult cognitive function ('Epigenetic-g') alongside polygenic indices of cognition and education. Epigenetic-g and polygenic indices were uncorrelated and captured distinct variation in children's cognitive and academic performance. Longitudinal analyses revealed that Epigenetic-g is plastic in early childhood, reaching moderate stability by adolescence, and, unlike polygenic indices, is not related to longitudinal cognitive growth. Twin models indicated that Epigenetic-g captures genetic and unique environmental variation relevant to cognitive and academic achievement that is not identified by current polygenic indices. Epigenetic indices relevant to psychological development can be generated from DNA methylation studies of adults, with most variation in these indices emerging early in life.

AB - Large-scale genomic studies have identified biomarkers of adult cognitive functioning and educational attainment, yet the developmental pathways connecting these biomarkers to adult outcomes remain unclear. Drawing on four cohorts, we examined the developmental correlates of an epigenetic index of adult cognitive function ('Epigenetic-g') alongside polygenic indices of cognition and education. Epigenetic-g and polygenic indices were uncorrelated and captured distinct variation in children's cognitive and academic performance. Longitudinal analyses revealed that Epigenetic-g is plastic in early childhood, reaching moderate stability by adolescence, and, unlike polygenic indices, is not related to longitudinal cognitive growth. Twin models indicated that Epigenetic-g captures genetic and unique environmental variation relevant to cognitive and academic achievement that is not identified by current polygenic indices. Epigenetic indices relevant to psychological development can be generated from DNA methylation studies of adults, with most variation in these indices emerging early in life.

U2 - 10.64898/2026.04.01.715866

DO - 10.64898/2026.04.01.715866

M3 - Article

C2 - 41959304

SN - 2692-8205

JO - bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

JF - bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

ER -

Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood

Abstract

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