Investigating possible causal effects of externalizing behaviors on tobacco initiation: A Mendelian randomization analysis.

ABSTRACT: Observational studies suggest childhood externalizing disorders are associated with increased smoking and earlier initiation. However, causality cannot be inferred from observational data alone. The current study uses two-sample MR to examine the causal relationship between externalizing behaviors and tobacco use. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with aggression were obtained from the Early Life Epidemiology Consortium (mean age 8), ADHD from the Integrative Psychiatric Research and Psychiatric Genomics Consortiums (age range 6-18), and tobacco initiation and age of onset from the Tobacco and Genetics Consortium. SNPs were combined using the inverse variance weighted approach, weighted median approach, and MR-Egger regression. There was no clear evidence of an effect of ag

SUBMITTER: Fluharty ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6152577 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature