Causal effects of lung function on brain cortical and subcortical structure: a two-sample univariable and...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Growing evidence links lung function to brain health.
• Investigating the causal relationship between respiratory health and brain structures is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the causal effects of lung function on brain cortical and subcortical structures using Mendelian Randomization (MR).

Main Methods:

• Utilized univariate and multivariable MR analyses with GWAS summary statistics for lung function (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC) and brain structures.
• Employed five MR methods (IVW, MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, simple mode) for robust causal inference.
• Conducted sensitivity analyses and Bonferroni correction to ensure result validity.

Main Results:

• Higher FEV1 and FVC were significantly associated with increased global cortical surface area.
• Increased FEV1/FVC correlated with greater paracentral surface area, and FVC with parsopercularis thickness.
• Significant associations were observed between FEV1/FVC and brainstem volume, even after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

• This study provides robust evidence for a causal link between lung function and brain structure.
• Better respiratory health demonstrates protective effects on overall brain integrity.