The Minnesota Multi-Ethnic Twin Registry

What is the Minnesota Multi-Ethnic Twin Registry?

The Minnesota Twin Registry started in 1983 on the premise that all human research is more interesting and informative if twins participate. Its original goal was to establish a registry of all twins born in Minnesota from 1936 to 1955 to be used for psychological research. Recently, it has added twins born between 1961 and 1964. It primarily conducts personality and interest tests with its 8,000+ twin pairs and family members via mail. From this project, we were able to confirm that twins and their families are representative of the population and that a poll of their opinions would be more accurate than polls in the newspaper.

MTR is a Multi-Ethnic Registry

In a focused effort to enhance diversity in our Minnesota Twin Sample, the Minnesota Twin Registry (MTR) has been expanded to include African American Twins through the Midwestern African American Twin Study of Aging (MAATSA) and the Carolina African American Twin Study of Aging (CAATSA).

What's Special About Twins to Science?

Babies crawling on floor

By studying identical and fraternal twins and their families, we can estimate how genes and environment interact to influence character, strengths, vulnerabilities, and values. To find out more about twin research, why twins are so special to science, and the kind of work that your contribution makes possible.  More information.

Who Participates in MTR Research?

The Minnesota Twin Registry includes over 10,000 twins born in Minnesota between 1936 and 1955. We at MTR have been meeting with Minnesota twins over the past four decades to study how genetics and physical and cognitive health influence healthy aging. In our latest follow up study with our twin cohort, we are especially interested in cognitive health and individual differences. 

Members of the Minnesota Twin Registry are very important to science for many reasons. Briefly, the cohort allows us to examine how genes and environments interact to influence human development. This can often be done by comparing and contrasting one twin with another, within families, which makes the participation of each member of a twin pair extremely valuable.
 

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