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Duque KR, Vizcarra JA, Hill EJ, Espay AJ. Disease-modifying vs symptomatic treatments: Splitting over lumping. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 193:187-209. [PMID: 36803811 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-85555-6.00020-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Clinical trials of putative disease-modifying therapies in neurodegeneration have obeyed the century-old principle of convergence, or lumping, whereby any feature of a clinicopathologic disease entity is considered relevant to most of those affected. While this convergent approach has resulted in important successes in trials of symptomatic therapies, largely aimed at correcting common neurotransmitter deficiencies (e.g., cholinergic deficiency in Alzheimer's disease or dopaminergic deficiency in Parkinson's disease), it has been consistently futile in trials of neuroprotective or disease-modifying interventions. As individuals affected by the same neurodegenerative disorder do not share the same biological drivers, splitting such disease into small molecular/biological subtypes, to match people to therapies most likely to benefit them, is vital in the pursuit of disease modification. We here discuss three paths toward the splitting needed for future successes in precision medicine: (1) encourage the development of aging cohorts agnostic to phenotype in order to enact a biology-to-phenotype direction of biomarker development and validate divergence biomarkers (present in some, absent in most); (2) demand bioassay-based recruitment of subjects into disease-modifying trials of putative neuroprotective interventions in order to match the right therapies to the right recipients; and (3) evaluate promising epidemiologic leads of presumed pathogenetic potential using Mendelian randomization studies before designing the corresponding clinical trials. The reconfiguration of disease-modifying efforts for patients with neurodegenerative disorders will require a paradigm shift from lumping to splitting and from proteinopathy to proteinopenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R Duque
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Joaquin A Vizcarra
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Emily J Hill
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Alberto J Espay
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
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2
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Yang T, Wei Q, Li C, Cao B, Ou R, Hou Y, Zhang L, Chen Y, Shang H. Association between vascular risk factors and cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a case-control study. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2022; 24:185-194. [PMID: 35983834 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2022.2108327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective: The disease-modifying effects of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and hyperlipidemia on the risk and prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have gained significant attention. We aim to evaluate the association between common vascular risk factors and cognitive impairment in patients with ALS. Methods: Patients with ALS were consecutively recruited between June 2012 and November 2019 from a tertiary referral center for ALS at the West China Hospital. Vascular risk factors (hypertension, T2DM, hyperlipidemia, overweight, and smoking) were confirmed based on clinical data. Cognitive function was evaluated by the Chinese version of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-revised. With careful confounder adjustment, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed separately and accumulatively to determine the association between cognitive impairment and vascular risk factors in ALS. Results: Of 870 patients, 266 (30.6%) had cognitive impairment. No cognitive burden from vascular risk factors was found in patients with ALS. On the contrary, we first observed that T2DM (odds ratio [OR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.98; p = 0.04) and hyperlipidemia (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.26-0.97; p = 0.04) showed protective effects against cognitive decline in ALS, adjusted for age, sex, educational level, site of onset, Revised-ALS Functional Rating Scale score, predominant upper motor neuron phenotype, family history of ALS, and the remaining vascular risk factors. Sensitivity analyses of sex did not substantially reverse the risk estimates. Conclusions: T2DM and hyperlipidemia decrease the risk of cognitive impairment in patients with ALS. The fitness hypothesis in ALS has been tested and expanded in our work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianmi Yang
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bei Cao
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yongping Chen
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Larsson SC, Burgess S. Causal role of high body mass index in multiple chronic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization studies. BMC Med 2021; 19:320. [PMID: 34906131 PMCID: PMC8672504 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-021-02188-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that has been associated with a plurality of diseases in observational studies. The aim of this study was to summarize the evidence from Mendelian randomization (MR) studies of the association between body mass index (BMI) and chronic diseases. METHODS PubMed and Embase were searched for MR studies on adult BMI in relation to major chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus; diseases of the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, musculoskeletal, and nervous systems; and neoplasms. A meta-analysis was performed for each disease by using results from published MR studies and corresponding de novo analyses based on summary-level genetic data from the FinnGen consortium (n = 218,792 individuals). RESULTS In a meta-analysis of results from published MR studies and de novo analyses of the FinnGen consortium, genetically predicted higher BMI was associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, 14 circulatory disease outcomes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, five digestive system diseases, three musculoskeletal system diseases, and multiple sclerosis as well as cancers of the digestive system (six cancer sites), uterus, kidney, and bladder. In contrast, genetically predicted higher adult BMI was associated with a decreased risk of Dupuytren's disease, osteoporosis, and breast, prostate, and non-melanoma cancer, and not associated with Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Parkinson's disease. CONCLUSIONS The totality of the evidence from MR studies supports a causal role of excess adiposity in a plurality of chronic diseases. Hence, continued efforts to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity are a major public health goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna C Larsson
- Unit of Medical Epidemiology, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Stephen Burgess
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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4
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Chiò A, Canosa A, Calvo A, Moglia C, Cicolin A, Mora G. Developments in the assessment of non-motor disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert Rev Neurother 2021; 21:1419-1440. [PMID: 34554894 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2021.1984883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The burden of non-motor symptoms is a major determinant of quality of life and outcome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and has profound negative effect also on caregivers. AREAS COVERED Non-motor symptoms in ALS include cognitive impairment, neurobehavioral symptoms, depression and anxiety, suicidal ideation, pain, disordered sleep, fatigue, weight loss and reduced appetite, and autonomic dysfunctions. This review summarizes the measures used for the assessment of non-motor symptoms and their properties and recaps the frequency and progression of these symptoms along the course of ALS. EXPERT OPINION Non-motor symptoms in ALS represent a major component of the disease and span over several domains. These symptoms require a high level of medical attention and should be checked at each visit using ad hoc questionnaires and proactively treated. Several instruments assessing non-motor symptoms have been used in ALS. Specific screening questionnaires for non-motor symptoms can be used for monitoring patients during telehealth visits and for remote surveillance through sensors and apps installed on smartphones. Novel trials for non-motor symptoms treatment specifically designed for ALS are necessary to increase and refine the therapeutic armamentarium. Finally, scales assessing the most frequent and burdensome non-motor symptoms should be included in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Chiò
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Neurology I, Azienda Ospedaliera Città Della Salute E Della Scienza of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Antonio Canosa
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Neurology I, Azienda Ospedaliera Città Della Salute E Della Scienza of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Neurology I, Azienda Ospedaliera Città Della Salute E Della Scienza of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Neurology I, Azienda Ospedaliera Città Della Salute E Della Scienza of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Alessandro Cicolin
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Sleep Medicine Center, Azienda Ospedaliera Città Della Salute E Della Scienza of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Gabriele Mora
- Neurorehabilitation Department, Ics Maugeri Irccs, Institute of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Yu X, Yuan Z, Lu H, Gao Y, Chen H, Shao Z, Yang J, Guan F, Huang S, Zeng P. Relationship between birth weight and chronic kidney disease: evidence from systematics review and two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:2261-2274. [PMID: 32329512 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Observational studies showed an inverse association between birth weight and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adulthood existed. However, whether such an association is causal remains fully elusive. Moreover, none of prior studies distinguished the direct fetal effect from the indirect maternal effect. Herein, we aimed to investigate the causal relationship between birth weight and CKD and to understand the relative fetal and maternal contributions. Meta-analysis (n = ~22 million) showed that low birth weight led to ~83% (95% confidence interval [CI] 37-146%) higher risk of CKD in late life. With summary statistics from large scale GWASs (n = ~300 000 for birth weight and ~481 000 for CKD), linkage disequilibrium score regression demonstrated birth weight had a negative maternal, but not fetal, genetic correlation with CKD and several other kidney-function related phenotypes. Furthermore, with multiple instruments of birth weight, Mendelian randomization showed there existed a negative fetal casual association (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.16) between birth weight and CKD; a negative but non-significant maternal casual association (OR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.98-1.21) was also identified. Those associations were robust against various sensitivity analyses. However, no maternal/fetal casual effects of birth weight were significant for other kidney-function related phenotypes. Overall, our study confirmed the inverse association between birth weight and CKD observed in prior studies, and further revealed the shared maternal genetic foundation between low birth weight and CKD, and the direct fetal and indirect maternal causal effects of birth weight may commonly drive this negative relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinghao Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Zhongshang Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Haojie Lu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Yixin Gao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Haimiao Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Zhonghe Shao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Jiaji Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Fengjun Guan
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Shuiping Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Ping Zeng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
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6
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Carbone JT, Clift J. Neighborhood social integration as a predictor of neighborhood perceptions. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 49:2179-2193. [PMID: 33655505 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of literature has established a relationship between neighborhood perceptions and both physical and mental health outcomes, yet there remains a need to further explicate possible psychosocial factors that are predictive of neighborhood perceptions. This study hypothesized that an increase in social integration would result in more positive neighborhood perceptions. Propensity score matching on social integration was employed to strengthen the ability to draw a causal inference about the effect on neighborhood perceptions. When controlling for a range of sociodemographic covariates-including area deprivation index as a measure of objective neighborhood conditions-high social integration accounted for more than a 7% increase in neighborhood perceptions. The findings indicate the role of social integration as a predictor of neighborhood perceptions, revealing the potential importance of interventions and mechanisms aimed at improving neighborhood perceptions via social integration for the purposes of improving physical health and mental wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Carbone
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Jennifer Clift
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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7
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Julian TH, Glascow N, Barry ADF, Moll T, Harvey C, Klimentidis YC, Newell M, Zhang S, Snyder MP, Cooper-Knock J, Shaw PJ. Physical exercise is a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Convergent evidence from Mendelian randomisation, transcriptomics and risk genotypes. EBioMedicine 2021; 68:103397. [PMID: 34051439 PMCID: PMC8170114 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a universally fatal neurodegenerative disease. ALS is determined by gene-environment interactions and improved understanding of these interactions may lead to effective personalised medicine. The role of physical exercise in the development of ALS is currently controversial. Methods First, we dissected the exercise-ALS relationship in a series of two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) experiments. Next we tested for enrichment of ALS genetic risk within exercise-associated transcriptome changes. Finally, we applied a validated physical activity questionnaire in a small cohort of genetically selected ALS patients. Findings We present MR evidence supporting a causal relationship between genetic liability to frequent and strenuous leisure-time exercise and ALS using a liberal instrument (multiplicative random effects IVW, p=0.01). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that genes with altered expression in response to acute exercise are enriched with known ALS risk genes (permutation test, p=0.013) including C9ORF72, and with ALS-associated rare variants of uncertain significance. Questionnaire evidence revealed that age of onset is inversely proportional to historical physical activity for C9ORF72-ALS (Cox proportional hazards model, Wald test p=0.007, likelihood ratio test p=0.01, concordance=74%) but not for non-C9ORF72-ALS. Variability in average physical activity was lower in C9ORF72-ALS compared to both non-C9ORF72-ALS (F-test, p=0.002) and neurologically normal controls (F-test, p=0.049) which is consistent with a homogeneous effect of physical activity in all C9ORF72-ALS patients. Interpretation Our MR approach suggests a positive causal relationship between ALS and physical exercise. Exercise is likely to cause motor neuron injury only in patients with a risk-genotype. Consistent with this we have shown that ALS risk genes are activated in response to exercise. In particular, we propose that G4C2-repeat expansion of C9ORF72 predisposes to exercise-induced ALS. Funding We acknowledge support from the Wellcome Trust (JCK, 216596/Z/19/Z), NIHR (PJS, NF-SI-0617-10077; IS-BRC-1215-20017) and NIH (MPS, CEGS 5P50HG00773504, 1P50HL083800, 1R01HL101388, 1R01-HL122939, S10OD025212, P30DK116074, and UM1HG009442).
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Julian
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Nicholas Glascow
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - A Dylan Fisher Barry
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tobias Moll
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Calum Harvey
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Yann C Klimentidis
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Michelle Newell
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Sai Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Johnathan Cooper-Knock
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
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8
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Westeneng HJ, van Veenhuijzen K, van der Spek RA, Peters S, Visser AE, van Rheenen W, Veldink JH, van den Berg LH. Associations between lifestyle and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis stratified by C9orf72 genotype: a longitudinal, population-based, case-control study. Lancet Neurol 2021; 20:373-384. [PMID: 33894192 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(21)00042-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is considered to be caused by both genetic and environmental factors. The causal cascade is, however, not known. We aimed to assess lifestyle during the presymptomatic phase of ALS, stratified by C9orf72 mutation, and examine evidence supporting causality of lifestyle factors. METHODS This study was a longitudinal, population-based, case-control study that used data from the Prospective ALS study the Netherlands. We included patients with a C9orf72 mutation (C9+ group), patients without a C9orf72 mutation (C9- group), and controls. Patients fulfilled the revised El Escorial criteria and were recruited through neurologists and rehabilitation physicians in the Netherlands as well as the Dutch Neuromuscular Patient Association and ALS Centrum website. 1322 population-based controls, matched for age and sex, were enrolled via the patients' general practitioners. Blood relatives or spouses of patients were not eligible as controls. We studied the relationship between ALS risk and smoking, alcohol, physical activity, body-mass index (BMI), and energy intake by the use of structured questionnaires. Smoking, physical activity, and BMI were longitudinally assessed up to 50 years before onset (defined as the period before onset of muscle weakness or bulbar symptoms for cases, or age at completing the questionnaire for controls). We calculated posterior probabilities (P(θ|x)) for causal effects of smoking, alcohol, and BMI, using Bayesian instrumental variable analyses. FINDINGS Between Jan 1, 2006 and Jan 27, 2016, we included 143 patients in the C9+ group, 1322 patients in the C9- group, and 1322 controls. Compared with controls, cigarette pack-years (C9+ group mean difference from control 3·15, 95% CI 0·36 to 5·93, p=0·027; C9- group 3·20, 2·02 to 4·39, p<0·0001) and daily energy intake at symptom onset (C9+ group 712 kJ, 95% CI 212 to 1213, p=0·0053; C9- group 497, 295 to 700, p<0·0001) were higher in the C9+ and C9- groups, whereas current BMI (C9+ group -2·01 kg/m2, 95% CI -2·73 to -1·29, p<0·0001; C9- group -1·35, -1·64 to -1·06, p<0·0001) and lifetime alcohol consumption (C9+ group -5388 units, 95% CI -9113 to -1663, p=0·0046; C9- group -2185, -3748 to -622, p=0·0062) were lower in the C9+ and C9- groups. Median BMI during the presymptomatic phase for the C9+ group was lower (-0·69 kg/m2, 95% CI -1·24 to -0·13, p=0·015) and physical activity was similar (-348 metabolic equivalent of task [MET], 95% CI -966 to 270, p=0·27) to controls, whereas both the median BMI during the presymptomatic phase (0·27 kg/m2, 95% CI 0·04 to 0·50, p=0·022) and physical activity (585 MET, 291 to 878, p=0·0001) were higher in the C9- group than controls. Longitudinal analyses showed more cigarette pack-years in the C9- (starting 47 years pre-onset) and C9+ (starting 24 years pre-onset) groups, and higher physical activity over time in the C9- group (starting >30 years pre-onset). BMI of the C9+ group increased more slowly and was significantly lower (starting at 36 years pre-onset) than in controls, whereas the BMI of the C9- group was higher than controls (23-49 years pre-onset, becoming lower 10 years pre-onset). Instrumental variable analyses supported causal effects of alcohol consumption (P(θ|x)=0·9347) and smoking (P(θ|x)=0·9859) on ALS in the C9- group. We found evidence supporting a causal effect of increased BMI at younger age (mean 33·8 years, SD 11·7) in the C9- group (P[θ|x]=0·9272), but not at older ages. INTERPRETATION Lifestyle during the presymptomatic phase differs between patients with ALS and controls decades before onset, depends on C9- status, and is probably part of the presymptomatic causal cascade. Identification of modifiable disease-causing lifestyle factors offers opportunities to lower risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. FUNDING Netherlands ALS Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henk-Jan Westeneng
- Department of Neurology, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Kevin van Veenhuijzen
- Department of Neurology, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Rick A van der Spek
- Department of Neurology, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Susan Peters
- Department of Neurology, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Anne E Visser
- Department of Neurology, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Wouter van Rheenen
- Department of Neurology, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
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Xiao L, Yuan Z, Jin S, Wang T, Huang S, Zeng P. Multiple-Tissue Integrative Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies Discovered New Genes Associated With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Genet 2020; 11:587243. [PMID: 33329728 PMCID: PMC7714931 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.587243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified multiple causal genes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); however, the genetic architecture of ALS remains completely unknown and a large number of causal genes have yet been discovered. To full such gap in part, we implemented an integrative analysis of transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) for ALS to prioritize causal genes with summary statistics from 80,610 European individuals and employed 13 GTEx brain tissues as reference transcriptome panels. The summary-level TWAS analysis with single brain tissue was first undertaken and then a flexible p-value combination strategy, called summary data-based Cauchy Aggregation TWAS (SCAT), was proposed to pool association signals from single-tissue TWAS analysis while protecting against highly positive correlation among tests. Extensive simulations demonstrated SCAT can produce well-calibrated p-value for the control of type I error and was often much more powerful to identify association signals across various scenarios compared with single-tissue TWAS analysis. Using SCAT, we replicated three ALS-associated genes (i.e., ATXN3, SCFD1, and C9orf72) identified in previous GWASs and discovered additional five genes (i.e., SLC9A8, FAM66D, TRIP11, JUP, and RP11-529H20.6) which were not reported before. Furthermore, we discovered the five associations were largely driven by genes themselves and thus might be new genes which were likely related to the risk of ALS. However, further investigations are warranted to verify these results and untangle the pathophysiological function of the genes in developing ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lishun Xiao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zhongshang Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Siyi Jin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Shuiping Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Center for Medical Statistics and Data Analysis, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ping Zeng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Center for Medical Statistics and Data Analysis, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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Carbone JT. The mediating effect of allostatic load on the relationship between neighborhood perceptions and depression. SSM Popul Health 2020; 11:100638. [PMID: 32817880 PMCID: PMC7426578 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neighborhood perceptions is an important predictor of both allostatic load in the form of biological dysregulation and major depressive disorder. Furthermore, biological dysregulation is predictive of major depressive disorder. Yet to date, the use of biological dysregulation as one potential causal pathway linking neighborhood perceptions to depression has not been explored. This study examined the relationship between neighborhood perception, biological dysregulation in the form of allostatic load, and depression among individuals who participated in the three waves of the Midlife Development in the United States study (1996-2014). Two-to-one propensity score matching was employed prior the use of causal mediation analyses. Lower neighborhood perceptions at wave one were associated with increased allostatic load at wave two. Allostatic load at wave two is associated with depression at wave three. The mediation analysis shows that 6.0% of the relationship between neighborhood perception and depression is mediated by biological dysregulation. These results can inform future prevention and treatment methods by supporting efforts to integrate individuals and community-level interventions to aid in addressing both the environmental conditions and biological factors associated with depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Carbone
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Integrative Biosciences (IBio) Center, Rm 1119, 6135 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
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11
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Riancho J, Delgado-Alvarado M, Andreu MD, Paz-Fajardo L, Arozamena S, Gil-Bea FJ, López de Munaín A. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cancer, autoimmunity and metabolic disorders: An unsolved tantalizing challenge. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 178:1269-1278. [PMID: 32497246 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) commonly referred to as motor neurone disease, is a neurodegenerative disease of unknown pathogenesis that progresses rapidly and has attracted an increased amount of scholarly interest in recent years. The current conception of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has transitioned into a more complex theory in which individual genetic risk, ageing and environmental factors interact, leading to disease onset in subjects in whom the sum of these factors reach a determined threshold. Based on this conceptualization, the environmental conditions, particularly those that are potentially modifiable, are becoming increasingly relevant. In this review, the current integrative model of the disease is discussed. In addition, we explore the role of cancer, autoimmunity and metabolic diseases as examples of novel, non-genetic and environmental factors. Together with the potential triggers or perpetuating pathogenic mechanisms along with new insights into potential lines of future research are provided. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on Neurochemistry in Japan. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v178.6/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Riancho
- Service of Neurology, Hospital Sierrallana-IDIVAL, Torrelavega, Spain.,Department of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Delgado-Alvarado
- Service of Neurology, Hospital Sierrallana-IDIVAL, Torrelavega, Spain.,Biomedical Research Networking Center for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), ISC III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Lucía Paz-Fajardo
- Service of Internal Medicina, Hospital Sierrallana-IDIVAL, Torrelavega, Spain
| | - Sara Arozamena
- Service of Neurology, Hospital Sierrallana-IDIVAL, Torrelavega, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Gil-Bea
- Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Adolfo López de Munaín
- Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, CIBERNED, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Neurosciences Area, Biodonostia Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain.,Neurology Department, Donostia University Hospital, OSAKIDETZA, San Sebastián, Spain.,Neurosciences Department, Basque Country University, San Sebastián, Spain
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12
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Storm CS, Kia DA, Almramhi M, Wood NW. Using Mendelian randomization to understand and develop treatments for neurodegenerative disease. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa031. [PMID: 32954289 PMCID: PMC7425289 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Common neurodegenerative diseases are thought to arise from a combination of environmental and genetic exposures. Mendelian randomization is a powerful way to leverage existing genetic data to investigate causal relationships between risk factors and disease. In recent years, Mendelian randomization has gathered considerable traction in neurodegenerative disease research, providing valuable insights into the aetiology of these conditions. This review aims to evaluate the impact of Mendelian randomization studies on translational medicine for neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the advances made and challenges faced. We will first describe the fundamental principles and limitations of Mendelian randomization and then discuss the lessons from Mendelian randomization studies of environmental risk factors for neurodegeneration. We will illustrate how Mendelian randomization projects have used novel resources to study molecular pathways of neurodegenerative disease and discuss the emerging role of Mendelian randomization in drug development. Finally, we will conclude with our view of the future of Mendelian randomization in these conditions, underscoring unanswered questions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine S Storm
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Demis A Kia
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Mona Almramhi
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Nicholas W Wood
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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13
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Chen H, Shao Z, Gao Y, Yu X, Huang S, Zeng P. Are blood lipids risk factors for fracture? Integrative evidence from instrumental variable causal inference and mediation analysis using genetic data. Bone 2020; 131:115174. [PMID: 31785374 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2019.115174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relationship between lipids and the risk of fracture is currently controversial and whether such association is causal remains elusive. METHODS We performed two-sample inverse variance weighted (IVW) Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to evaluate causal effects of four lipids (i.e. high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL], total cholesterol [TC] and triglyceride [TG]) on fracture or bone mineral density (BMD) with summary statistics from large scale genome-wide association studies (up to ~190,000 for lipids, ~66,628 for BMD and ~53,000 for fracture). We validated our MR results with extensive sensitive analyses including MR-PRESSO and MR-Egger regression. Multivariable analyses were implemented to investigate whether other lipids (i.e. LDL and TG) may confound the causal effect of HDL on fracture and mediation analyses were conducted to assess indirect effects of lipids on fracture mediated by BMD. RESULTS The IVW MR showed there existed a statistically significant association between HDL and fracture, with the odd ratio (OR) per standard deviation change of HDL on fracture being 1.12 (95% CI: 1.02-1.22, p = 1.20E-02). HDL was also detected to be causally associated with BMD (beta = -0.116; 95% CI: -0.182 ~ -0.050, p = 5.47E-04). These associations were further confirmed by the weighted median and maximum likelihood methods, with the MR-Egger regression removing the possibility of pleiotropy and the multivariable analysis excluding the confounding effect of other lipids on HDL. Negative associations of HDL with BMD among the elderly and with BMD at the lumbar spine were also discovered. However, no causal associations were detected between other lipids (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.74-1.03, p = .107 for LDL; OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.88-1.21, p = .696 for TC and OR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.90-1.20, p = .610 for TG) and fracture; whereas TG was positively associated BMD (beta = 0.184; 95% CI: 0.048-0.319, p = 7.93E-03). Finally, the mediation effect of BMD was estimated to be -0.116 (95% CI: -0.182 to -0.05, p = 5.47E-04) for HDL or 0.184 (95% CI: 0.048-0.319, p = 7.93E-03) for TG, implying HDL and TG could be indirectly associated with fracture risk via the pathway of BMD. CONCLUSION Our study is supportive of the causal relationship between HDL and fracture but offers little direct evidence for causal associations between other lipids and fracture, and further reveals HDL and TG may have an indirect influence on fracture mediated by BMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haimiao Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhonghe Shao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yixin Gao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinghao Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shuiping Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China; Center for Medical Statistics and Data Analysis, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Ping Zeng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China; Center for Medical Statistics and Data Analysis, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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