Investigation of genetic variants and causal biomarkers associated with brain aging.

ABSTRACT: Delta age is a biomarker of brain aging that captures differences between the chronological age and the predicted biological brain age. Using multimodal data of brain MRI, genomics, and blood-based biomarkers and metabolomics in UK Biobank, this study investigates an explainable and causal basis of high delta age. A visual saliency map of brain regions showed that lower volumes in the fornix and the lower part of the thalamus are key predictors of high delta age. Genome-wide association analysis of the delta age using the SNP array data identified associated variants in gene regions such as KLF3-AS1 and STX1. GWAS was also performed on the volumes in the fornix and the lower part of the thalamus, showing a high genetic correlation with delta age, indicating that they share a genetic basis.

SUBMITTER: Kim J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9883521 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature