摘要：Introduction. This paper provides an overview of current research in individual differences in structural brain characteristics. The impact of individual differences in structural brain characteristics on individual differences in psychological characteristics is considered within the concept of endophenotypes,which represent an intermediate link between the gene and the complex phenotypic characteristic. Theoretical Basis. This paper analyzes the impact of genetic and environmental factors on individual differences in structural brain characteristics measured by magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. The review presents the results of twin studies,genome-wide association studies,and candidate genes studies. Results and Discussion. In general,genetically informative studies of structural brain characteristics indicate that a small number of structures (i.e.,corticospinal pathways or the volume of the lateral ventricles) have moderate heritability estimates varying from 20 to 50 %. In contrast,the heritability estimates are over 50 % for the majority of structural characteristics. The contribution of genetic factors to individual differences in structural brain characteristics changes during ontogenesis. A general genetic contribution to individual differences in structural brain characteristics and behavioral phenotypes is examined using multivariate analysis methods. The review (a) presents the results of new types of molecular genetic studies,primarily using the genomewide association analysis,which examines hundreds of thousands of DNA markers simultaneously, (b) discusses studies of such genetic factors as copy number variations as well as whole-genome studies,and (c) shows that the current transition process to the format of multicenter consortia and the associated growth of the studied samples provides new opportunities for studying the contribution of genetic factors to individual differences in structural brain characteristics.
