A5049097607- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Neuroscience, Education and Cognitive Function
- Genetic Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Mental Health Research Topics
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
- Health disparities and outcomes
- Data Analysis and Archiving
- Diet and metabolism studies
- MRI in cancer diagnosis
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Nutrition, Genetics, and Disease
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
King's College London
2015-2023
University of Edinburgh
2011-2020
NHS Lothian
2020
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
2020
Ricardo (United Kingdom)
2016-2019
Western General Hospital
2018
Southern General Hospital
2018
Alzheimer Scotland
2015-2017
Institute of Genetics and Cancer
2017
Ixico (United Kingdom)
2017
Sex differences in the human brain are of interest for many reasons: example, there sex observed prevalence psychiatric disorders and some psychological traits that might help to explain. We report largest single-sample study structural functional (2750 female, 2466 male participants; mean age 61.7 years, range 44–77 years). Males had higher raw volumes, surface areas, white matter fractional anisotropy; females cortical thickness tract complexity. There was considerable distributional...
Age-associated disease and disability are placing a growing burden on society. However, ageing does not affect people uniformly. Hence, markers of the underlying biological process needed to help identify at increased risk age-associated physical cognitive impairments ultimately, death. Here, we present such biomarker, 'brain-predicted age', derived using structural neuroimaging. Brain-predicted age was calculated machine-learning analysis, trained neuroimaging data from large healthy...
Understanding the determinants of socioeconomic status (SES) is an important economic and social goal. Several major influences on SES are known, yet much variance in remains unexplained. In a large, population-representative sample from United Kingdom, we tested effects mathematics reading achievement at age 7 attained by 42. Mathematics ability both had substantial positive associations with adult SES, above beyond birth, other factors, such as intelligence. Achievement was also...
Background: The DNA methylation-based 'epigenetic clock' correlates strongly with chronological age, but it is currently unclear what drives individual differences. We examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between the epigenetic clock four mortality-linked markers of physical mental fitness: lung function, walking speed, grip strength cognitive ability. Methods: age acceleration (residuals estimate regressed on age) were estimated in Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 at ages 70 (n =...
Quantifying the microstructural properties of human brain's connections is necessary for understanding normal ageing and disease. Here we examine brain white matter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data in 3,513 generally healthy people aged 44.64-77.12 years from UK Biobank. Using conventional water diffusion measures newer, rarely studied indices neurite orientation dispersion density imaging, document large age associations with microstructure. Mean diffusivity most age-sensitive measure,...
People's differences in cognitive functions are partly heritable and associated with important life outcomes. Previous genome-wide association (GWA) studies of have found evidence for polygenic effects yet, to date, there few replicated genetic associations. Here we use data from the UK Biobank sample investigate contributions variation tests three educational attainment. GWA analyses were performed verbal–numerical reasoning (N=36 035), memory (N=112 067), reaction time (N=111 483)...
Causes of the well-documented association between low levels cognitive functioning and many adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes, poorer physical health earlier death remain unknown. We used linkage disequilibrium regression polygenic profile scoring to test for shared genetic aetiology functions disorders health. Using information provided by published genome-wide study consortia, we created scores 24 vascular–metabolic, neuropsychiatric, physiological–anthropometric traits in participants UK...
Intelligence, or general cognitive function, is phenotypically and genetically correlated with many traits, including a wide range of physical, mental health variables. Education strongly intelligence (rg = 0.70). We used these findings as foundations for our use novel approach-multi-trait analysis genome-wide association studies (MTAG; Turley et al. 2017)-to combine two large (GWASs) education intelligence, increasing statistical power resulting in the largest GWAS yet reported. Our study...
Polygenic scores are a popular tool for prediction of complex traits. However, estimates in samples unrelated participants can include effects population stratification, assortative mating, and environmentally mediated parental genetic effects, form genotype-environment correlation (rGE). Comparing genome-wide polygenic score (GPS) predictions individuals with between siblings within-family design is powerful approach to identify these different sources prediction. Here, we compared within-...
Abstract Aims Several factors are known to increase risk for cerebrovascular disease and dementia, but there is limited evidence on associations between multiple vascular (VRFs) detailed aspects of brain macrostructure microstructure in large community-dwelling populations across middle older age. Methods results Associations VRFs (smoking, hypertension, pulse pressure, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, body mass index, waist–hip ratio) structural diffusion MRI markers were examined UK...
Genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) profiling has allowed for the development of molecular predictors a multitude traits and diseases. Such may be more accurate than self-reported phenotypes could have clinical applications. Here, penalized regression models are used to develop DNAm ten modifiable health lifestyle factors in cohort 5087 individuals. Using an independent test comprising 895 individuals, proportion phenotypic variance explained each trait is examined DNAm-based genetic...
Secondary data analysis, or the analysis of preexisting data, provides a powerful tool for resourceful psychological scientist. Never has this been more true than now, when technological advances enable both sharing across labs and continents mining large sources data. However, secondary is easily overlooked as key domain developing new open-science practices improving analytic methods robust analysis. In article, we provide researchers with knowledge necessary to incorporate into their...
Abstract Socioeconomic position (SEP) is a multi-dimensional construct reflecting (and influencing) multiple socio-cultural, physical, and environmental factors. In sample of 286,301 participants from UK Biobank, we identify 30 (29 previously unreported) independent-loci associated with income. Using method to meta-analyze data genetically-correlated traits, an additional 120 income-associated loci. These loci show clear evidence functionality, transcriptional differences identified across...
The associations between indices of brain structure and measured intelligence are unclear. This is partly because the evidence to-date comes from mostly small heterogeneous studies. Here, we report structure-intelligence on a large sample UK Biobank study. overall N = 29,004, with 18,426 participants providing both MRI at least one cognitive test, complete four-test battery data available in minimum 7201, depending upon measure. Participants' age range was 44–81 years (M 63.13, SD 7.48). A...
Nine recently reported parapsychological experiments appear to support the existence of precognition. We describe three pre-registered independent attempts exactly replicate one these experiments, 'retroactive facilitation recall', which examines whether performance on a memory test can be influenced by post-test exercise. All replication failed produce significant effects (combined n = 150; combined p .83, one-tailed) and thus do not psychic ability.
Previous research has indicated that education influences cognitive development, but it is unclear what, precisely, being improved.Here, we tested whether associated with test score improvements via domain-general effects on general ability (g), or domain-specific particular skills.We conducted structural equation modeling data from a large (n ϭ 1,091), longitudinal sample, measure of intelligence at age 11 years and 10 tests covering diverse range abilities taken 70.Results the association...
It is critical to discover why some people's cognitive abilities age better than others'. We applied multivariate growth curve models data from a narrow-age cohort measured on multi-domain IQ measure at 11 years and comprehensive battery of thirteen measures visuospatial, memory, crystallized, processing speed ages 70, 73, 76 (n = 1091 70). found that 48% the variance in change performance was shared across all measures, an additional 26% specific four ability domains, test-specific. tested...
Educational attainment is associated with many health outcomes, including longevity. It also known to be substantially heritable. Here, we used data from three large genetic epidemiology cohort studies (Generation Scotland, n = ∼17,000; UK Biobank, ∼115,000; and the Estonian ∼6,000) test whether education-linked variants can predict lifespan length. We did so by using members' polygenic profile score for education their parents' Across cohorts, meta-analysis showed that a 1 SD higher was...
Abstract Gait and balance impairment is highly prevalent in older people. We aimed to assess whether how single markers of small vessel disease (SVD) or a combination thereof explain gait function the elderly. analysed 678 community-dwelling healthy subjects from Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 at age 71–74 years who had undergone comprehensive risk factor assessment, assessment as well brain MRI. investigated impact individual SVD (white matter hyperintensity – WMH, microbleeds, lacunes, enlarged...