Chunk #55 — Reasons to be Concerned about the Published cGxE Literature — Problems with the Recipe: Statistical Concerns in cGxE Research — cGxE versus gene-environment correlation (rGE)
mechanisms of gene-environment interplay (rGE and GxE) may be at work, testing for rGE is necessary before conclusions regarding GxE are made. When rGE is presented, methods to account for it should be implemented. In some instances, relevant data may not be available (e.g. availability of parental phenotypes to test for passive rGE) or the correlation may be complex and mediated by other unmeasured factors. In such instances, the possibility that rGE may contribute to the relationship between genotype and environment should be acknowledged.
