Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 28, 2025

Multiple-mouse Neuroanatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging
09:08

Multiple-mouse Neuroanatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: February 27, 2011

15.9K

Heart-brain connections: Phenotypic and genetic insights from magnetic resonance images

Bingxin Zhao1,2, Tengfei Li3,4, Zirui Fan1,2

  • 1Department of Statistics and Data Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 1, 2023
PubMed

Insights

This study reveals significant links between heart health and brain function using MRI data from over 40,000 individuals. It highlights shared genetic factors and suggests heart conditions may impact brain disorders.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular science
  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics
  • Medical imaging

Background:

  • Complex interactions exist between cardiovascular, cognitive, and mental health.
  • Phenotypic and genetic connections within heart-brain systems remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate heart-brain connections using multiorgan magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data.
  • To identify shared genetic influences between cardiovascular and brain health.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized multiorgan MRI data from over 40,000 subjects.
  • Analyzed associations between heart MRI traits and brain morphometry, microstructure, and functional networks.
  • Performed genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization analyses.

Main Results:

  • Identified 80 genomic loci associated with heart MRI traits.
  • Observed shared genetic influences between heart traits and cardiovascular/brain diseases.
  • Found genetic correlations between heart and brain traits/disorders.
  • Mendelian randomization suggested a potential causal link from heart conditions to brain disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Heart and brain health are interconnected, with shared genetic underpinnings.
  • This research supports a multiorgan perspective on human health.
  • Findings reveal novel heart-brain connections and their genetic basis.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing the Study of Brain-Heart Interplay with a Comprehensive EEGLAB Plugin for Multimodal Signal Analysis08:22

Author Spotlight: Advancing the Study of Brain-Heart Interplay with a Comprehensive EEGLAB Plugin for Multimodal Signal Analysis

Published on: April 26, 2024

2.0K
High-resolution Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Human Midbrain10:06

High-resolution Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Human Midbrain

Published on: May 10, 2012

13.0K

Related Concept Videos

Magnetic Resonance Imaging01:24

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical imaging technique based on a phenomenon of nuclear physics discovered in the 1930s, in which matter exposed to magnetic fields and radio waves was found to emit radio signals. In 1970, a physician and researcher named Raymond Damadian noticed that malignant (cancerous) tissue gave off different signals than normal body tissue. He applied for a patent for the first MRI scanning device in clinical use by the early 1980s. The early MRI...
5.3K
Brain Imaging01:14

Brain Imaging

Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans),  magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),  functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic...
267
Imaging Studies IV: Magnetic Resonance Imaging01:27

Imaging Studies IV: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Introduction:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, can include a specialized imaging technique of the urinary system known as Magnetic Resonance Urography (MRU). This radiation-free technique uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images with the help of a computer. MRU is particularly effective for visualizing fluid-filled structures like the kidneys, ureters, and bladder.Applications of MRI in the Genitourinary SystemKidneys and Ureters: MRI detects tumors, cysts,...
37