Gene-environment interactions in the influence of maternal education on adolescent neurodevelopment using ABCD study

• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp3751
• Publication Date: 2024-11-15T18:58:57Z
• Authors: Runye Shi; Xiao Chang; Tobias Banaschewski; Gareth J. Barker; Arun L. W. Bokde; Sylvane Desrivières; Herta Flor; Antoine Grigis; Hugh Garavan; Penny Gowland; Andreas Heinz; Rüdiger Brühl; Jean-Luc Martinot; Marie-Laure Paill...; Eric Artiges; Frauke Nees; Dimitri Papadopou...; Luise Poustka; Sarah Hohmann; Nathalie Holz; Michael N. Smolka; Nilakshi Vaidya; Henrik Walter; Robert Whelan; Gunter Schumann; Xiaolei Lin; Jianfeng Feng
• Keywords: [SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]; 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Social and Interdisciplinary Sciences and Public Health

Maternal education was strongly correlated with adolescent brain morphology, cognitive performances, and mental health. However, the molecular basis for the effects of maternal education on the structural neurodevelopment remains unknown. Here, we conducted gene-environment–wide interaction study using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development cohort. Seven genomic loci with significant gene-environment interactions (G×E) on regional gray matter volumes were identified, with enriched biological functions related to metabolic process, inflammatory process, and synaptic plasticity. Additionally, genetic overlapping results with behavioral and disease-related phenotypes indicated shared biological mechanism between maternal education modified neurodevelopment and related behavioral traits. Finally, by decomposing the multidimensional components of maternal education, we found that socioeconomic status, rather than family environment, played a more important role in modifying the genetic effects on neurodevelopment. In summary, our study provided analytical evidence for G×E effects regarding adolescent neurodevelopment and explored potential biological mechanisms as well as social mechanisms through which maternal education could modify the genetic effects on regional brain development.