The relationship between adiposity and cognitive function: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study in UK Biobank.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There may be a bidirectional relationship between cognition and adiposity, whereby poor cognition leads to increased adiposity and vice versa. We aimed to determine whether these findings are causal, by undertaking a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study.

Methods

A total of 378 877 UK Biobank participants had three adiposity indicators [body fat percentage (BF%), body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio] and two cognitive function measures (reaction time, visual memory). We examined observational associations between each adiposity indicator and cognitive function and vice versa. Using bidirectional inverse-variance weighted MR, we estimated the strength of the adiposity-cognitive function association using genetic instruments for adiposity indicators

SUBMITTER: Norris T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10396406 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature