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Netherlands Twin Register (NTR)
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Sample details

The NTR focuses on the aetiology of individual differences in health, fertility, development, growth and behaviour. Over 270,000 twins and triplets, their family members and their teachers have been recruited, beginning in 1987 in the Netherlands. The NTR includes the Young NTR (YNTR) and Adult NTR (ANTR). Participants in the YNTR are twins and triplets under the age of 18 years, as well as their siblings, parents and teachers. Most families in the YNTR complete baseline data collection when twins and triplets are under 1 year old, When YNTR participants turn 18 years old, they can register with the ANTR. In addition to YNTR participants, ANTR has recruited further adult twins and their family members. Both ANTR and YNTR participants are followed up every 2 to 3 years. Recruitment and data collection is ongoing.

Study design
Registry, Cohort - twin, Cohort

Number of participants at first data collection

24,784 (teachers, as of 2019)

255,785 (twins and their family members, as of 2019)

Recruitment is ongoing

Age at first data collection

Varied (teachers)

Varied (twins and their family members)

Participant year of birth

Varied (teachers)

Varied (twins and their family members)

Participant sex
All

Representative sample at baseline?
No

Sample features

All ages
Dizygotic and monozygotic twins
Family members
Teachers
Triplets
Dataset details

Country

Netherlands

Year of first data collection

1987

Primary Institutions

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) (Academic, Netherlands)

Links

tweelingenregister.vu.nl/

doi.org/10.1017/thg.2012.140

doi.org/10.1017/thg.2012.118

Profile paper DOI

doi.org/10.1017/thg.2019.93

Funders

Avera Institute for Human Genetics (AIHG) (Research, United States of America)

Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI) (Research council, Austria)

Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) (Third Sector, United States of America)

Center for Medical Systems Biology (CMSB) (Academic, Netherlands)

EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research (Research, Netherlands)

Ongoing?
Yes

Data types collected

neuroImagingData
mentalHealthData
Quantitative data collection
  • Computer, paper or task testing (e.g. cognitive testing, theory of mind doll task, attention computer tasks)
  • Interview – face-to-face
  • Interview – phone
  • Physical or biological assessment (e.g. blood, saliva, gait, grip strength, anthropometry)
  • Secondary data
  • Self-completed questionnaire – online
  • Self-completed questionnaire – paper or computer assisted
  • Wearable devices
Qualitative data collection
  • None
Neuroimaging data collection
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)
  • Electroencephalography (EEG)
  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  • Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
Linked or secondary data
  • None
Features

Engagement

  • Community engagement
  • Keywords

    Biological samples/biospecimens
    Biomarkers
    Cardiovascular health and disease
    Epigenetics
    Genetics
    Health and wellbeing
    Human development
    Lifestyle
    Mental health
    Neurocognitive development
    Neuroimaging
    Personality
    Physical activity and exercise

    Consortia and dataset groups

    Amsterdam Cohort Hub
    Connecting Data in Child Development (CD2)
    Netherlands Cohort Consortium (NCC)
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