| Title: | Neural-genetic-environmental evidence for a disease factor in mental and physical health multimorbidity |
| Journal: | Nature Communications |
| Published: | 18 Nov 2025 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41253807/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-65055-w |
| URL: | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-65055-w.pdf |
Publication 18894
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Abstract
Increasing evidence reveals the presence of multimorbidity across physical and mental disorders. A general disease factor (d factor) has been recently identified to capture the shared liability across these conditions, yet its biological basis remains poorly understood. Here, using data from the UK Biobank, we reveal the d factor's neural, genetic, and environmental underpinnings. We show that the d factor is associated with extreme negative deviations in grey matter volume and white matter microstructure. A genome-wide association study identifies its genetic loci and correlations with unhealthy lifestyle, anthropometric measures, and mood-related phenotypes. Furthermore, Mendelian randomization suggests a causal effect of living environmental deprivation on the d factor. Mediation analysis further reveals that the d factor links this environmental adversity to individual differences in brain structure. Our findings establish a multi-level biological characterization of general disease liability, connecting environmental, genetic, and neural factors and inform transdiagnostic approaches to prevention and treatment.</p>
19 Keywords
- Adult
- Aged
- Brain
- Female
- Gene-Environment Interaction
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Genome-Wide Association Study
- Gray Matter
- Humans
- Life Style
- Male
- Mendelian Randomization Analysis
- Mental Disorders
- Middle Aged
- Multimorbidity
- Phenotype
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
- United Kingdom
- White Matter
13 Authors
- Jin Chen
- Yuning Zhang
- Shu Liu
- Miguel Garcia-Argibay
- Tianye Jia
- Jujiao Kang
- Wei Li
- Marco Solmi
- Hongyi Sun
- Wenqi Liu
- Congying Chu
- Samuele Cortese
- Jiaojian Wang
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 197910 | Predictive modelling of physiological and psychiatric comorbidities and study of brain circuits and genetic mechanisms |
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