Causal association between blood metabolites and vertigo: A Mendelian randomization study

Area of Science:

• Genomics and metabolomics
• Neuroscience
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Metabolic disorders are linked to nervous system diseases, but causal links to vertigo are unclear.
• Confounding factors complicate understanding the relationship between metabolism and vertigo.
• Mendelian randomization (MR) is a robust method to explore causality in observational data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal relationship between blood metabolites and three types of vertigo using MR.
• To identify specific metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with vertigo.
• To explore potential biomarkers for vertigo based on metabolic profiles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized metabolite Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) and vertigo disease summary data.
• Employed inverse variance weighting (IVW) as the primary MR analysis method.
• Conducted sensitivity analyses, metabolic pathway enrichment, and genetic correlation analyses.

Main Results:

• Identified 55 potential blood metabolites associated with three types of vertigo.
• Found 22, 16, and 13 reliable candidate metabolites for Vestibular Dysfunction, Peripheral Vertigo, and Central Vertigo, respectively.
• Highlighted "Valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis" as a key pathway linked to all vertigo types; noted genetic correlation for X-10510 and dodecanedioate with Vestibular Dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• Blood metabolites have a causal impact on vertigo, supported by integrated genomic and metabolomic analyses.
• Specific metabolites and the "Valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis" pathway may be crucial in vertigo development.
• Identified potential biomarkers for vertigo, advancing understanding of its underlying biological mechanisms.