White matter microstructure links with brain, bodily and genetic attributes in adolescence, mid- and late life

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121132
• Publication Date: 2025-03-15T07:44:16Z
• Authors: Max Korbmacher; Mario Tranfa; Giuseppe Pontillo; Dennis van der Meer; Meng-Yun Wang; Ole A. Andreassen; Lars T. Westlye; Ivan I. Maximov
• Keywords: White (mutation); Brain Development

Advanced diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) allows one to probe and assess brain white matter (WM) organisation microstructure in vivo. Various dMRI models with different theoretical practical assumptions have been developed, representing partly overlapping characteristics of the underlying biology potentially complementary value cognitive clinical neurosciences. To which degree metrics relate clinically relevant geno- phenotypes is still debated. Hence, we investigate how tract-based whole WM skeleton parameters from approaches associate matter-related (sex, age, pulse pressure (PP), body-mass-index (BMI), asymmetry) genetic markers UK Biobank (UKB, n=52,140) Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (n=5,844). In general, none could explain all examined phenotypes, though were overall similar explaining variability phenotypes. Nevertheless, particular used stood out some important known correlate general human health outcomes. A multi-compartment Bayesian approach provided strongest associations together tensor imaging, largest accuracy for sex-classifications. We find a pattern metric tract-dependent asymmetries across datasets, stronger ABCD data. The magnitude polygenic scores as well PP depended more on sample, likely than metrics. However, kurtosis was most indicative BMI bipolar disorder scores. conclude that differentially associated pheno- genotypes at points life.