biostudies-literatureKiltschewskij DJDepartment of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council373https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9458732biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia are commonly associated with structural brain alterations affecting the cortex. Recent genetic evidence suggests circulating metabolites and other biochemical traits play a causal role in many psychiatric disorders which could be mediated by changes in the cerebral cortex. Here, we leveraged publicly available genome-wide association study data to explore shared genetic architecture and evidence for causal relationships between a panel of 50 biochemical traits and measures of cortical thickness and surface area. Linkage disequilibrium score regression identified 191 genetically correlated biochemical-cortical trait pairings, with consistent representation of blood cell counts and other biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), haemoglobin and Translational psychiatryEvidence of genetic overlap and causal relationships between blood-based biochemical traits and human cortical anatomy.PMC9458732118849311214741147644Cairns MJReay WRKiltschewskij DJfalseEvidence of genetic overlap and causal relationships between blood-based biochemical traits and human cortical anatomy.Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia are commonly associated with structural brain alterations affecting the cortex. Recent genetic evidence suggests circulating metabolites and other biochemical traits play a causal role in many psychiatric disorders which could be mediated by changes in the cerebral cortex. Here, we leveraged publicly available genome-wide association study data to explore shared genetic architecture and evidence for causal relationships between a panel of 50 biochemical traits and measures of cortical thickness and surface area. Linkage disequilibrium score regression identified 191 genetically correlated biochemical-cortical trait pairings, with consistent representation of blood cell counts and other biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), haemoglobin and 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Sep2025-07-25T03:07:43.355Z2025-04-06T18:08:45.816ZS-EPMC94587323607589010.1038/s41398-022-02141-3