Author:
Yao Shi,Han Ji-Zhou,Wang Xin,Wang Jia-Hao,Qian Long,Wu Hao,Guo Jing,Dong Shan-Shan,Guo Yan,Yang Tie-Lin
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundGrowing evidence indicates that dynamic changes in the gut microbiome can affect intelligence; however, whether the relationships are causal is unknown.MethodsWe conducted a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using the summary statistics from the largest GWAS meta-analysis of gut microbiota composition (n = 18,340) and intelligence (n = 269,867). Inverse-variance weighted method was used to conduct the MR analyses complemented by a range of sensitivity analyses to validate the robustness of the results. We further applied a two-step MR analysis to evaluate whether the effect of identified taxa on intelligence was mediated by regulating the brain volume.ResultsMR evidence suggested a risk effect of the genusOxalobacteron intelligence (β = –0.032; 95% confidence interval, –0.049 to –0.015;P= 1.88 ×10-4) and a protective effect of the genusFusicatenibacteron intelligence (β = 0.051; 95% confidence interval, 0.023 to 0.079;P= 3.03× 10-4). In the other direction, we did not find causal evidence of intelligence on gut microbiome composition. The mediation analysis showed that the effect of genusFusicatenibacteron intelligence was partly mediated by regulating the brain volume, with a mediated proportion of 26.7% (95% confidence interval, 4.9% to 48.5%).ConclusionsOur findings may help reshape our understanding of the microbiota-gut-brain axis and development of novel intervention approaches for preventing cognitive impairment.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory