Genetically determined thyroid function and cerebral cortex structure: A Mendelian randomization study.

IF 2.1 4区医学 Q3 MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL

Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-23 DOI:10.17219/acem/199321

Xupeng Wu, Hong Liu, Liangliang Cui, Mengyan Mo, Changxin Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: A correlation between thyroid function and cognitive impairment has been well established; however, the impact of thyroid dysfunction on structural changes in the brain cortex remains largely unexplored.

Objectives: The study describes a 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to elucidate the relationship between thyroid malfunction and brain structure and function.

Material and methods: Eight phenotypes of thyroid function were extracted from THYROIDOMICS consortium by determining free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in both men and women separately and together, as well as in individuals with increased or decreased TSH levels. The results were assessed in terms of overall brain cortical thickness and the surface area (SA) of grey matter, along with 34 specific measurements for various regions. The primary method employed for the analysis was the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) approach.

Results: The data were subjected to MR Egger regression, Cochrane's Q statistic and leave-one-out analysis to determine the correlation between the variables. The FT4 in men, women and overall was statistically associated with cortical thickness of entorhinal cortex (EC). Overall TSH and TSH in men were associated with cortical thickness of caudal anterior cingulate. Additionally, in men, TSH levels showed an association with cortical thickness in the cuneus gyrus. Increased TSH was associated with decreased SA of lateral occipital (LO) and increased SA of lateral orbitofrontal, medial orbitofrontal and superior frontal cortex. Decreased TSH was negatively associated with the SA of pars opercularis (PO) and the cortical thickness of posterior cingulate cortex. No pleiotropy was detected.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate a possible causal link between thyroid function and the cortical architecture of particular functional areas associated with neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions.

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基因决定甲状腺功能和大脑皮层结构：一项孟德尔随机研究。

背景：甲状腺功能与认知障碍之间的相关性已经得到了很好的证实；然而，甲状腺功能障碍对大脑皮层结构变化的影响在很大程度上仍未被探索。目的：本研究通过双样本孟德尔随机化（MR）分析来阐明甲状腺功能障碍与大脑结构和功能之间的关系。材料和方法：通过测定游离甲状腺素（FT4）和促甲状腺激素（TSH）在男性和女性单独和共同以及TSH水平升高或降低个体中的水平，从甲状腺组学联盟中提取了8种甲状腺功能表型。结果是根据大脑皮层的总体厚度和灰质的表面积（SA）以及34个不同区域的具体测量来评估的。分析采用的主要方法是反方差加权法（IVW）。结果：对数据进行MR Egger回归、Cochrane’s Q统计和留一分析，确定变量之间的相关性。FT4在男性、女性和总体上与内嗅皮质（EC）的皮质厚度有统计学相关性。总TSH和男性TSH与尾侧前扣带皮质厚度相关。此外，在男性中，TSH水平与楔脑回皮质厚度有关。TSH升高与枕外侧（LO） SA降低、眶额外侧、眶额内侧和额上皮质SA升高相关。TSH的降低与脑包部SA和后扣带皮层厚度呈负相关。未发现多效性。结论：我们的研究结果表明，甲状腺功能与与神经退行性疾病和精神疾病相关的特定功能区的皮质结构之间可能存在因果关系。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL-

CiteScore

3.70

自引率

4.80%

发文量

153

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine has been published by the Wroclaw Medical University since 1992. Establishing the medical journal was the idea of Prof. Bogumił Halawa, Chair of the Department of Cardiology, and was fully supported by the Rector of Wroclaw Medical University, Prof. Zbigniew Knapik. Prof. Halawa was also the first editor-in-chief, between 1992-1997. The journal, then entitled "Postępy Medycyny Klinicznej i Doświadczalnej", appeared quarterly. Prof. Leszek Paradowski was editor-in-chief from 1997-1999. In 1998 he initiated alterations in the profile and cover design of the journal which were accepted by the Editorial Board. The title was changed to Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine. Articles in English were welcomed. A number of outstanding representatives of medical science from Poland and abroad were invited to participate in the newly established International Editorial Staff. Prof. Antonina Harłozińska-Szmyrka was editor-in-chief in years 2000-2005, in years 2006-2007 once again prof. Leszek Paradowski and prof. Maria Podolak-Dawidziak was editor-in-chief in years 2008-2016. Since 2017 the editor-in chief is prof. Maciej Bagłaj. Since July 2005, original papers have been published only in English. Case reports are no longer accepted. The manuscripts are reviewed by two independent reviewers and a statistical reviewer, and English texts are proofread by a native speaker. The journal has been indexed in several databases: Scopus, Ulrich’sTM International Periodicals Directory, Index Copernicus and since 2007 in Thomson Reuters databases: Science Citation Index Expanded i Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition. In 2010 the journal obtained Impact Factor which is now 1.179 pts. Articles published in the journal are worth 15 points among Polish journals according to the Polish Committee for Scientific Research and 169.43 points according to the Index Copernicus. Since November 7, 2012, Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine has been indexed and included in National Library of Medicine’s MEDLINE database. English abstracts printed in the journal are included and searchable using PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed.