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Causal Relationship Between Intelligence, Noncognitive Education, Cognition and Urinary Tract or Kidney Infection: A
Shuai Fu1, Qiang Li1, Li Cheng1
1Department of Nephrology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
International Journal of Nephrology and Renovascular Disease
|March 12, 2025
Summary
Improving intelligence, noncognitive education, and cognition can reduce the risk of urinary tract or kidney infections. Body mass index and smoking initiation act as key mediating factors in this relationship.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Urinary tract or kidney infections (UTIs) show correlations with cognitive and noncognitive factors, but causal links are unclear.
- The specific mediating risk factors influencing this relationship remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal relationship between intelligence, noncognitive education, cognition, and the risk of urinary tract or kidney infections.
- To identify potential mediating factors, such as body mass index and smoking, in the association between noncognitive education and infection risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized large-scale genome-wide association study data for intelligence, noncognitive education, and cognition in European populations.
- Employed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess causal effects and two-step MR to explore mediation by 28 potential factors.
- Analyzed genetic associations with urinary tract or kidney infection data from the UK Biobank.
Main Results:
- Significant inverse genetic correlations were found between intelligence, noncognitive education, cognition, and urinary tract or kidney infection risk.
- Increased intelligence, noncognitive education, and cognition were causally associated with a reduced risk of infection.
- Body mass index (12.1%) and smoking initiation (14.7%) significantly mediated the effect of noncognitive education on infection risk.
Conclusions:
- Enhancing intelligence, noncognitive education, and cognition may lower susceptibility to urinary tract or kidney infections.
- Noncognitive education demonstrates an independent protective effect, with body mass index and smoking initiation playing significant mediating roles.
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