CultureAugust 10, 2026

polygenicity

pol-ih-jen-ISS-ih-tee

Definition

The condition of a trait or disorder being influenced by many different genetic variants, each contributing a small effect, rather than being determined by a single gene.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'poly-' meaning 'many' and 'genesis' meaning 'origin' or 'production'. In modern genetics, it describes characteristics that arise from the combined influence of multiple genes.

In the news

The article uses the term to compare MDD subtypes, noting that the AERS+ subtype shows lower polygenicity, which suggests it is driven by fewer genetic variants of larger effect than other subtypes.

AERS Subtypes Show Distinct Genetic Architecture in MDD

Read the full article ↗

HCPLive

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