Genetics of early-life head circumference and genetic correlations with neurological, psychiatric and cognitive outcomes

BMC Med Genomics. 2022 Jun 4;15(1):124. doi: 10.1186/s12920-022-01281-1.

Abstract

Background: Head circumference is associated with intelligence and tracks from childhood into adulthood.

Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study meta-analysis and follow-up of head circumference in a total of 29,192 participants between 6 and 30 months of age.

Results: Seven loci reached genome-wide significance in the combined discovery and replication analysis of which three loci near ARFGEF2, MYCL1, and TOP1, were novel. We observed positive genetic correlations for early-life head circumference with adult intracranial volume, years of schooling, childhood and adult intelligence, but not with adult psychiatric, neurological, or personality-related phenotypes.

Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the biological processes underlying early-life head circumference overlap largely with those of adult head circumference. The associations of early-life head circumference with cognitive outcomes across the life course are partly explained by genetics.

Keywords: Genetic correlations; Genome-wide association study; Head circumference; Infancy.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Cognition*
  • Educational Status
  • Genome-Wide Association Study* / methods
  • Humans
  • Phenotype