Association of SBP and BMI with cognitive and structural brain phenotypes in UK Biobank

Ferguson, A. C. et al. (2020) Association of SBP and BMI with cognitive and structural brain phenotypes in UK Biobank. Journal of Hypertension, 38(12), pp. 2482-2489. (doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002579) (PMID:32665523)

Abstract

Objective: To test for associations between SBP and BMI, with domain-specific cognitive abilities and examine which brain structural phenotypes mediate those associations. Methods: Using cross-sectional UK Biobank data (final N = 28 412), we examined SBP/BMI vs. cognitive test scores of pairs-matching, matrix completion, trail making test A/B, digit symbol substitution, verbal–numerical reasoning, tower rearranging and simple reaction time. We adjusted for potential confounders of age, sex, deprivation, medication, apolipoprotein e4 genotype, smoking, population stratification and genotypic array. We tested for mediation via multiple structural brain imaging phenotypes and corrected for multiple testing with false discovery rate. Results: We found positive associations for higher BMI with worse reaction time, reasoning, tower rearranging and matrix completion tasks by 0.024–0.067 SDs per BMI SD (all P < 0.001). Higher SBP was associated with worse reasoning (0.034 SDs) and matrix completion scores (−0.024 SDs; both P < 0.001). Both BMI and SBP were associated with multiple brain structural metrics including total grey/white matter volumes, frontal lobe volumes, white matter tract integrity and white matter hyperintensity volumes: specific metrics mediated around one-third of the associations with cognition. Conclusion: Our findings add to the body of evidence that addressing cardiovascular risk factors may also preserve cognitive function, via specific aspects of brain structure.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cavanagh, Professor Jonathan and Celis, Dr Carlos and Ward, Dr Joey and Ferguson, Ms Amy and Smith, Professor Daniel and Welsh, Professor Paul and Tank, Rachana and McQueenie, Dr Ross and Pell, Professor Jill and Lyall, Dr Laura and Mackay, Professor Daniel and Sattar, Professor Naveed and Lyall, Dr Donald and Strawbridge, Dr Rona
• Authors: Ferguson, A. C., Tank, R., Lyall, L. M., Ward, J., Welsh, P., Celis-Morales, C., McQueenie, R., Strawbridge, R. J., Mackay, D. F., Pell, J. P., Smith, D. J., Sattar, N., Cavanagh, J., and Lyall, D. M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Mental Health and Wellbeing; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
• Journal Name: Journal of Hypertension
• Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• ISSN: 0263-6352
• ISSN (Online): 1473-5598
• Published Online: 15 July 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Author(s)
• First Published: First published in Journal of Hypertension 38(12):2482-2489
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
302131		Understanding the excess risk of cardiometabolic disease in individuals with serious mental illness	Jill Pell	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MR/S003061/1	HW - Public Health