Estimating bone marrow adiposity from head MRI and identifying its genetic architecture
Bone marrow (BM) adiposity changes radically through the lifespan, but this phenomenon is poorly characterized and understood in humans. Large datasets of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the head have been collected to study the human brain, but also contain unexploited information about other organs. We developed an artificial neural network that localizes calvarial BM in T1-weighted…
A groundbreaking study estimates bone marrow adiposity from head MRI scans and uncovers its genetic architecture. Researchers have developed an artificial neural network that accurately identifies calvarial bone marrow in T1-weighted MRI head scans, which can then be studied across extensive MRI datasets. This method allows for the modeling of sex-dimorphic age trajectories, including the impact of menopause, and reveals high heritability of bone marrow adiposity based on single-nucleotide polymorphism and twin data.
The study identified 41 genetic loci significantly associated with bone marrow adiposity, six of which are sex-specific. By integrating mapped genes with single-cell RNA-sequencing data, patterns of adipogenic lineage differentiation and lipid loading were uncovered. Furthermore, significant genetic correlations were found between bone marrow adiposity and several human traits, including cognitive ability and Parkinson's disease.
This intriguing connection highlights the potential links between calvarial bone marrow and the meninges, shedding light on the complex relationship between bone marrow adiposity and various human conditions.
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