NAS-NRC Twin Registry

To continue a registry of World War II veteran twins maintained by the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council (NAS-NRC).

BACKGROUND: The registry of World War II veteran twins came into existence in the late 1960's through a search and link effort of state vital statistics records and Veterans Administration files through the Medical Follow-up Agency of NAS-NRC. Since that time, the registry has served as a data resource for investigators in a variety of scientific fields who want to study genetic and environmental aspects of various human characteristics. Because of the size and geographic coverage throughout the United States, the registry offers a method of recruiting sizeable numbers of twins for study even under geographic restrictions. Of special value to medical researchers is the built-in medical follow-up for morbidity and mortality through Veterans Administration insurance and benefits records. This allows researchers to gather baseline data which may be related prospectively to morbidity and mortality events. The NHLBI has made extensive use of the World War II veteran twin registry beginning in 1969, when the NHLBI Twin Study was initiated. At that time, NHLBI used the World War II veteran twin registry to recruit a group of 514 pairs of twins in five geographic areas to participate in a study which included a battery of questionnaires and a physical examination. Since that time, a second examination and third examination of the cohort have been completed and the registry has been used to maintain contact with the twins and provide surveillance for morbidity and mortality events of the participants in the study. DESIGN NARRATIVE: Maintenance of the existing registry continued as addresses of all members were updated annually as well as morbidity and mortality data through surveillance of Veterans Administration insurance and death benefit records or through the National Death Index. All morbid events and deaths were coded by ICD codes. Support activities were provided for the NHLBI Twin Study including providing death certificates for events occurring among the 1,028 twins participating in the study and mailed questionnaire follow-up. Although contract support ended in September, 1988, analyses of the survey and mortality data are continuing.

Jablon S, Neel JV, Gershowitz H, Atkinson GF. The NAS-NRC twin panel: methods of construction of the panel, zygosity diagnosis, and proposed use. Am J Hum Genet. 1967 Mar;19(2):133-61. No abstract available.

Cederlof R, Friberg L, Hrubec Z. Cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms in relation to tobacco smoking. A study on American twins. Arch Environ Health. 1969 Jun;18(6):934-40. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1969.10665517. No abstract available.

Pollin W, Allen MG, Hoffer A, Stabenau JR, Hrubec Z. Psychopathology in 15,909 pairs of veteran twins: evidence for a genetic factor in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and its relative absence in psychoneurosis. Am J Psychiatry. 1969 Nov;126(5):597-610. doi: 10.1176/ajp.126.5.597. No abstract available.

Allen MG, Pollin W. Schizophrenia in twins and the diffuse ego boundary hypothesis. Am J Psychiatry. 1970 Oct;127(4):437-42. doi: 10.1176/ajp.127.4.437. No abstract available.

Feinleib M, Havlik RJ, Kwiterovich PO, Tillotson J, Garrison RJ. The National Heart Institute Twin Study. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1970 Jan-Apr;19(1):243-7. doi: 10.1017/s1120962300025592. No abstract available.

Hoeffer A, Pollin W. Schizophrenia in the NAS-NRC panel of 15,909 veteran twin pairs. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1970 Nov;23(5):469-77. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1970.01750050085012. No abstract available.

Reuling FH, Schwartz JT. Heritability of the effect of corticosteroids on intraocular pressure. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1970 Jan-Apr;19(1):264-7. doi: 10.1017/s1120962300025658. No abstract available.

Stabenau JR, Pollin W, Allen MG. Twin studies in schizophrenia and neurosis. Semin Psychiatry. 1970 Feb;2(1):65-74. No abstract available.

Cederlof R, Epstein FH, Friberg, et al: Twin Registries in the Study of Chronic Disease. Report of an International Symposium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1-4 December 1969, Acta Med Scand Suppl. 523, 1971

Allen MG, Cohen S, Pollin W. Schizophrenia in veteran twins: a diagnostic review. Am J Psychiatry. 1972 Feb;128(8):939-45. doi: 10.1176/ajp.128.8.939. No abstract available.

Cohen SM, Allen MG, Pollin W, Hrubec Z. Relationship of schizo-affective psychosis to manic depressive psychosis and shizophrenia. Findings in 15,909 veteran pairs. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1972 Jun;26(6):539-46. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1972.01750240051008. No abstract available.

Hrubec Z, Sutton ES. Smoking and health. Lancet. 1972 Oct 28;2(7783):932. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)92580-9. No abstract available.

Schwartz JT, Reuling FH, Feinleib M, Garrison RJ, Collie DJ. Twin heritability study of the effect of corticosteroids on intraocular pressure. J Med Genet. 1972 Jun;9(2):137-43. doi: 10.1136/jmg.9.2.137. No abstract available.

Hrubec Z. The effect of diagnostic ascertainment in twins on the assessment of the genetic factor in disease etiology. Am J Hum Genet. 1973 Jan;25(1):15-28. No abstract available.

Coffee drinking and ischaemic heart-disease. Lancet. 1973 Mar 10;1(7802):548-9. No abstract available.

Hrubec Z, Cederlof R, Friberg L, Horton R, Ozolins G. Respiratory symptoms in twins: effects of residence-associated air pollution, tobacco and alcohol use, and other factors. Arch Environ Health. 1973 Sep;27(3):189-95. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1973.10666350. No abstract available.

Schwartz JT, Reuling FH Jr, Feinleib M, Garrison RJ, Collie DJ. Twin heritability study of the corticosteroid response. Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol. 1973 Mar-Apr;77(2):OP126-36. No abstract available.

Schwartz JT, Reuling FH, Feinleib M, Garrison RJ, Collie DJ. Twin study on ocular pressure after topical dexamethasone. 1. Frequency distribution of pressure response. Am J Ophthalmol. 1973 Jul;76(1):126-36. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(73)90018-4. No abstract available.

Schwartz JT, Reuling FH, Feinleib M, Garrison RJ, Collie DJ. Twin study on ocular pressure following topically applied dexamethasone. II. Inheritance of variation in pressure response. Arch Ophthalmol. 1973 Oct;90(4):281-6. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1973.01000050283006. No abstract available.

Bazaral M, Orgel HA, and Hamburger RN: Genetics of IgE and Allergy: Serum IgE Levels in Twins. J Allergy Clin Immunol 54:288-304, 1974

Bohning DE, Albert RE, Lippmann M, Foster WM. Tracheobronchial particle deposition and clearance. A study of the effects of cigarette smoking in monozygotic twins. Arch Environ Health. 1975 Sep;30(9):457-62. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1975.10666750.

Feinleib M, Garrison R, Borhani N, et al: Studies of Hypertension in Twins. In: Paul, Oglesby (Ed.): Epidemiology and Control of Hypertension, Second International Symposium on the Epidemiology of Hypertension, September 1974, Miami, Symposia Specialists, 1975

Hrubec Z, Allen G. Letter: Methods and interpretation of twin concordance data. Am J Hum Genet. 1975 Nov;27(6):808-9. No abstract available.

Ziegler DK, Hassanein RS, Harris D, Stewart R. Headache in a non-clinic twin population. Headache. 1975 Jan;14(4):213-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1975.hed1404213.x. No abstract available.

Borhani NO, Feinleib M, Garrison RJ, Christian JC, Rosenman RH. Genetic variance in blood pressure. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1976;25:137-44. doi: 10.1017/s0001566000014008.

Christian JC, Feinleib M, Hulley SB, Castelli WP, Fabsitz RR, Garrison RJ, Borhani NO, Rosenman RH, Wagner J. Genetics of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides: a study of adult male twins. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1976;25:145-9. doi: 10.1017/s000156600001401x.

Feinleib M, Christian JC, Borhani NO, Rosenman R, Garrison RJ, Wagner J, Kannel WB, Hrubec Z, Schwartz JT. The National Heart and Lung Institute twin study of cardiovascular disease risk factors: organization and methodology. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1976;25:125-8. doi: 10.1017/s0001566000013970. No abstract available.

Horn JM, Plomin R, Rosenman R. Heritability of personality traits in adult male twins. Behav Genet. 1976 Jan;6(1):17-30. doi: 10.1007/BF01065675.

Hrubec Z, Cederlof R, Friberg L. Background of angina pectoris: social and environmental factors in relation to smoking. Am J Epidemiol. 1976 Jan;103(1):16-29. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112201.

Rosenman RH, Rahe RH, Borhani NO, Feinleib M. Heritability of personality and behavior pattern. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1976;25:221-4. doi: 10.1017/s0001566000014161.

Taubman P: The Determinants of Earnings: Genetics, Family and Other Environments. A Study of White Male Twins. Am Economic Rev 66:858-870, 1976

Behrman J, Taubman P, and Wales T: Controlling For and Measuring the Effects of Genetics and Family Environment in Equations for Schooling and Labor Market Success. In: Taubman P (Ed.): Kinometrics: Determinants of Socioeconomic Success Within and Between Families, New York, North-Holland Publishing Company, 1977

Feinleib M, Garrison RJ, Fabsitz R, Christian JC, Hrubec Z, Borhani NO, Kannel WB, Rosenman R, Schwartz JT, Wagner JO. The NHLBI twin study of cardiovascular disease risk factors: methodology and summary of results. Am J Epidemiol. 1977 Oct;106(4):284-5. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112464.

Havlik R, Garrison R, Fabsitz R, Feinleib M. Genetic variability of clinical chemical values. Clin Chem. 1977;23(4):659-62.

Bobowick AR, Kurtzke JF, Brody JA, Hrubec Z, Gillespie M. Twin study of multiple sclerosis: an epidemiologic inquiry. Neurology. 1978 Oct;28(10):978-87. doi: 10.1212/wnl.28.10.978.

Fabsitz RR, Garrison RJ, Feinleib M, Hjortland M. A twin analysis of dietary intake: evidence for a need to control for possible environmental differences in MZ and DZ twins. Behav Genet. 1978 Jan;8(1):15-25. doi: 10.1007/BF01067701.

Feinleib M, Ware JH, Garrison RJ, Borhani N, Christian JC, Rosenman R. An analysis of variance for major coronary heart disease rick factors in twins and their brothers. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1978;24 Pt C:13-9. No abstract available.

Hrubec Z, Neel JV. The National Academy of Sciences--National Research Council Twin Registry: ten years of operation. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1978;24 Pt B:153-72. No abstract available.

Rahe RH, Hervig L, Rosenman RH. Heritability of type A behavior. Psychosom Med. 1978 Oct;40(6):478-86. doi: 10.1097/00006842-197810000-00003.

Taubman P: What We Learn from Estimating the Genetic Contribution to Inequality in Earnings: Reply, Am Econ Rev 68:970-976, 1978

Allen G, Hrubec Z. Twin concordance. A more general model. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1979;28(1):3-13. doi: 10.1017/s0001566000009284.

Anderson RE, Hill RB, and Hrubec Z: Prospects for Pathology Studies in the NAS-NRC Twin Registry. Hum Pathol 11:403, 1980

Fabsitz R, Feinleib M, Hrubec Z. Weight changes in adult twins. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1980;29(4):273-9. doi: 10.1017/s0001566000007789.

Foch TT, and McClearn GE: Genetics, Body Weight, and Obesity. In: Stunkard, AJ (Ed.): Obesity, Philadelphia, Saunders Publishing Company, pp. 48-71, 1980

Havlik RJ, Garrison RJ, Fabsitz R, Feinleib M. Variability of heart rate, P-R, QRS and Q-T durations in twins. J Electrocardiol. 1980;13(1):45-8. doi: 10.1016/s0022-0736(80)80008-2.

Hrubec Z, and Omenn GS: Evidence of Genetic Predisposition to Alcoholic Cirrhosis and Psychosis: Twin Concordances for Alcoholism and Its Biologic End Points by Zygosity Among Male Veterans (Abstract of paper presented at Thirty-first Annual Meeting, American Society of Human Genetics, New York, September 1980), Am J Hum Genet 32:112A, 1980

Hubert HB, Fabsitz RR, Feinleib M, Brown KS. Olfactory sensitivity in humans: genetic versus environmental control. Science. 1980 May 9;208(4444):607-9. doi: 10.1126/science.7189296.

Hrubec Z. Methodologic problems in matched-pair studies using twins. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1981;69 Pt C:1-7. No abstract available.

Hrubec Z, Neel JV. Familial factors in early deaths: twins followed 30 years to ages 51-61 in 1978. Hum Genet. 1981;59(1):39-46. doi: 10.1007/BF00278852.

Hrubec Z, Omenn GS. Evidence of genetic predisposition to alcoholic cirrhosis and psychosis: twin concordances for alcoholism and its biological end points by zygosity among male veterans. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1981 Spring;5(2):207-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1981.tb04890.x.

Hrubec Z, Neel JV. Contribution of familial factors to the occurrence of cancer before old age in twin veterans. Am J Hum Genet. 1982 Jul;34(4):658-71.

Kendler KS, Robinette CD. Schizophrenia in the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council Twin Registry: a 16-year update. Am J Psychiatry. 1983 Dec;140(12):1551-63. doi: 10.1176/ajp.140.12.1551.

Kendler KS, Robinette CD. Month of birth by zygosity in the NAS-NRC twin registry. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1983;32(2):113-6. doi: 10.1017/s0001566000006395.

Fabsitz R, Feinleib M, Hubert H. Regression analysis of data with correlated errors: an example from the NHLBI twin study. J Chronic Dis. 1985;38(2):165-70. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(85)90089-x.

Matthews KA, Rosenman RH, Dembroski TM, Harris EL, MacDougall JM. Familial resemblance in components of the type A behavior pattern: a reanalysis of the California type A twin study. Psychosom Med. 1984 Nov-Dec;46(6):512-22. doi: 10.1097/00006842-198411000-00004.

Hrubec Z, Robinette CD. The study of human twins in medical research. N Engl J Med. 1984 Feb 16;310(7):435-41. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198402163100706. No abstract available.

Carmelli D, Chesney MA, Ward MM, Rosenman RH. Twin similarity in cardiovascular stress response. Health Psychol. 1985;4(5):413-23. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.4.5.413.

Kalousdian S, Fabsitz R, Havlik R, Christian J, Rosenman R. Heritability of clinical chemistries in an older twin cohort: the NHLBI Twin Study. Genet Epidemiol. 1987;4(1):1-11. doi: 10.1002/gepi.1370040102.

Luxenberg JS, May C, Haxby JV, Grady C, Moore A, Berg G, White BJ, Robinette D, Rapoport SI. Cerebral metabolism, anatomy, and cognition in monozygotic twins discordant for dementia of the Alzheimer type. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1987 Mar;50(3):333-40. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.50.3.333.

Carmelli D, Rosenman R, Chesney M, Fabsitz R, Lee M, Borhani N. Genetic heritability and shared environmental influences of type A measures in the NHLBI Twin Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1988 May;127(5):1041-52. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a114880.

Selby JV, Newman B, Quesenberry CP Jr, Fabsitz RR, King MC, Meaney FJ. Evidence of genetic influence on central body fat in middle-aged twins. Hum Biol. 1989 Apr;61(2):179-94.

Christian JC, Carmelli D, Castelli WP, Fabsitz R, Grim CE, Meaney FJ, Norton JA Jr, Reed T, Williams CJ, Wood PD. High density lipoprotein cholesterol. A 16-year longitudinal study in aging male twins. Arteriosclerosis. 1990 Nov-Dec;10(6):1020-5. doi: 10.1161/01.atv.10.6.1020.

Selby JV, Newman B, Quesenberry CP Jr, Fabsitz RR, Carmelli D, Meaney FJ, Slemenda C. Genetic and behavioral influences on body fat distribution. Int J Obes. 1990 Jul;14(7):593-602.

Carmelli D, Swan GE, Robinette D, Fabsitz RR. Heritability of substance use in the NAS-NRC Twin Registry. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma). 1990;39(1):91-8. doi: 10.1017/s0001566000005602.

Swan GE, Carmelli D, Reed T, Harshfield GA, Fabsitz RR, Eslinger PJ. Heritability of cognitive performance in aging twins. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Twin Study. Arch Neurol. 1990 Mar;47(3):259-62. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1990.00530030025010.

Reed T, Fabsitz RR, Quiroga J. Family history of ischemic heart disease with respect to mean twin-pair cholesterol and subsequent ischemic heart disease in the NHLBI twin study. Genet Epidemiol. 1990;7(5):335-47. doi: 10.1002/gepi.1370070504.

Newman B, Selby JV, Quesenberry CP Jr, King MC, Friedman GD, Fabsitz RR. Nongenetic influences of obesity on other cardiovascular disease risk factors: an analysis of identical twins. Am J Public Health. 1990 Jun;80(6):675-8. doi: 10.2105/ajph.80.6.675.

Havlik RJ, Fabsitz RR, Kalousdian S, Borhani NO, Christian JC. Dietary protein and blood pressure in monozygotic twins. Prev Med. 1990 Jan;19(1):31-9. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(90)90004-4.

DeCarli C, Miller BL, Swan GE, Reed T, Wolf PA, Carmelli D. Cerebrovascular and brain morphologic correlates of mild cognitive impairment in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Twin Study. Arch Neurol. 2001 Apr;58(4):643-7. doi: 10.1001/archneur.58.4.643.