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Why are SNPs with small effect sizes a problem for GWAS?

Why does increasing a sample size increase the power for detecting SNPs with small effect sizes?

gwas

Why do you think? Is this a homework question?

No, it's not, but I'm learning about the GWAS (in this case its disadvantages) for an internship

2 answers

Increasing sample size allows you to more confidently measure variability. That leads to an increased ability to discern smaller differences.

You may think of it backwards, e.g. if you have a bowl with 100 colorful balls, and you are interested in the black ones, which their true proportion in this bowl are 5%. Then your average chance of detecting it in 10 balls will be ~ 0.01, i.e. almost none.

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