TitleAn Efficient Technique for Bayesian Modelling of Family Data Using the BUGS software
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsBae, H, Perls, T, Sebstiani, P
JournalFrontiers in genetics
Volume5
Issue390
Date Published10/2014
Keywordsparameterization
Abstract

Linear mixed models have become a popular tool to analyze continuous data from family-based designs by using random effects that model the correlation of subjects from the same family. However, mixed models for family data are challenging to implement with the BUGS (Bayesian inference Using Gibbs Sampling) software because of the high-dimensional covariance matrix of the random effects. This paper describes an efficient parameterization that utilizes the singular value decomposition of the covariance matrix of random effects, includes the BUGS code for such implementation, and extends the parameterization to generalized linear mixed models. The implementation is evaluated using simulated data and an example from a large family-based study is presented with a comparison to other existing methods.

DOI10.3389/fgene.2014.00390