Heritability and Demographic Analyses in the Large Isolated Population of Val Borbera Suggest Advantages in Mapping Complex Traits Genes

Genetic studies performed on heterogeneous populations make identifying rare variants for complex diseases difficult because of confounding variables associated with heterogeneous populations. This study collected genetic samples and medical information for 1803 people within a relatively isolated population. The authors report that analysis of the isolated population reveals significant heritability of medically relevant traits that might not have otherwise been uncovered with a more heterogeneous cohort.