Metabolic factors, gut microbiota, and cognitive performance: Mendelian randomization analysis

Area of Science:

• Metabolic health and neuroscience
• Gut microbiome research
• Genetic epidemiology

Background:

• The interplay between metabolic factors, gut microbiota, and cognitive function remains unclear.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for developing interventions for cognitive health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal relationships between key metabolic factors and cognitive performance.
• To determine the mediating role of gut microbiota in these associations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data for genetic variants.
• Employed univariable and mediation Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.
• Examined associations between body mass index (BMI), basal metabolic rate (BMR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), two-hour glucose, gut microbiota, and cognitive performance.

Main Results:

• Elevated BMI, SBP, and two-hour glucose were associated with reduced cognitive performance.
• Higher BMR showed a protective effect on cognitive performance.
• The Rikenellaceae family of gut bacteria was found to partially mediate the effect of BMI on cognitive performance (14.03% mediation).

Conclusions:

• Metabolic factors significantly influence cognitive performance.
• Gut microbiota, particularly the Rikenellaceae family, plays a mediating role in the BMI-cognition relationship.
• These findings highlight potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cognitive health.