Book Chapter

The X chromosome and the female survival advantage: an example of the intersection between genetics, epidemiology and demography

Vaupel, J. W., Christensen, K., Ørstavik, K. H.
In: Weinstein, M., Hermalin, A., Stoto, M. A. (Eds.): Population health and aging: strengthening the dialogue between epidemiology and demography, 175–183
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 954
New York, New York Academy of Sciences (2001)

Abstract

Despite differences in research traditions, the disciplines of genetics, epidemiology, and demography are becoming increasingly integrated in health related research. The enormous development within genetic technology with the possibility of genotyping thousands of variants from small samples of biological material obtained by non-invasive methods now makes it feasible to include genetic information in epidemiological and demographic studies. Simultaneously, new insight can be obtained from hybrids of methods and data from the three disciplines. This chapter will illustrate how a genetic observation combined with demographic insight and a modified genetic -epidemiological design (a twin study) provides evidence that part of the sex difference in sur vival can be attributed to the fact that females have two X-chromosomes and males have only one, a result which is of potential interest for genetics, epidemiology, and demography. (AUTHOR)
The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It's part of the Max Planck Society, the internationally renowned German research society.