Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
09:37
A Phenotyping Regimen for Genetically Modified Mice Used to Study Genes Implicated in Human Diseases of Aging
Published on: July 14, 2016
Genetic evidence links hypertension to accelerated brain aging
Xiaoyang Zhu1, Shuaiqi Zhang1, Zhiyuan Liu1
1Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China.
Biogerontology
|July 16, 2026
Summary
High blood pressure (hypertension) is genetically linked to accelerated brain aging. Mendelian randomization analysis suggests hypertension causally increases the brain age gap, with TRIM47 identified as a key gene.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Hypertension impacts one-third of adults and is a significant comorbidity of neurocognitive disorders.
- The precise relationship, shared genetic factors, and underlying mechanisms connecting hypertension to brain aging are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal relationship and genetic correlation between hypertension and brain age gap (BAG).
- To identify shared genes and biological pathways linking hypertension to accelerated brain aging.
Main Methods:
- Utilized meta-analyzed hypertension Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) datasets and a European-ancestry BAG GWAS.
- Employed Mendelian randomization (MR), Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GSMR), linkage disequilibrium score (LDSC) regression, and transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS).
- Applied spatial transcriptomics (GSMAP) for regional and cell-type enrichment analysis.
Main Results:
- Confirmed a significant genetic correlation between hypertension and brain aging.
- MR and GSMR analyses indicated a causal effect of hypertension on an increased brain age gap.
- Identified 15 shared genes between hypertension and BAG, with TRIM47 prioritized as a core gene.
- Discovered enrichment of shared genetic signals in meninges, fiber tracts, and specific cortical/hippocampal regions, implicating meningeal, vascular, and myelin-related pathways.
Conclusions:
- Hypertension is genetically correlated with accelerated brain aging and shows evidence of a causal impact.
- TRIM47 emerges as a crucial gene mediating the link between hypertension and brain age gap.
- Spatial enrichment analysis offers a framework for exploring pathways involved in hypertension-related brain aging.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Aging
Aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by various processes that affect cellular and systemic functions. Several prominent theories attempt to explain its mechanisms, highlighting cellular limitations, oxidative damage, and hormonal changes as central factors in aging.
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
01:28Human Genetics
Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
01:29Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:30Biological Influences on Intelligence
Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter more...