Causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and common neuropsychiatric disorders: A two-sample Mendelian...

Area of Science:

• Nephrology and Psychiatry Genetics
• Complex Disease Etiology
• Biomedical Research

Background:

• IgA nephropathy is a common kidney disease with unclear links to neuropsychiatric disorders.
• Understanding shared genetic factors could improve prevention and treatment strategies for both conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and five prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders using genetic data.
• To identify potential genetic predispositions that link IgA nephropathy to mental health conditions.

Main Methods:

• Two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) analysis utilizing large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) data.
• Exposure: IgA nephropathy (15,587 cases, 462,197 controls).
• Outcomes: Bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, Alzheimer's disease, analyzed using inverse-variance weighting and sensitivity analyses.

Main Results:

• A significant positive causal effect of IgA nephropathy on depressive disorder was identified (OR = 1.010, P = 3.27 × 10⁻³).
• A potential positive causal relationship was observed between IgA nephropathy and anorexia nervosa (OR = 1.165, P = 0.015).
• No significant causal relationships were found for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or Alzheimer's disease.

Conclusions:

• IgA nephropathy has a causal impact on the development of depressive disorder.
• A potential causal link exists between IgA nephropathy and anorexia nervosa.
• These findings highlight potential shared pathways and inform targeted interventions for patients with IgA nephropathy.