ArticleAddiction (Abingdon, England)2018
Assessing causal relationships using genetic proxies for exposures: an introduction to Mendelian randomization.
Article in Addiction (Abingdon, England), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
33 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 64 citations in OpenAlex.
- Using Mendelian randomization analysis to better understand the relationship between mental health and substance use: a systematic review.Psychological medicine · 2021Pooled it
- Non-Genetic Risk Factors for Parkinson's Disease: An Overview of 46 Systematic Reviews.Journal of Parkinson's disease · 2021Pooled it
- Cleft lip/palate and educational attainment: cause, consequence or correlation? A Mendelian randomization study.International journal of epidemiology · 2020Pooled it
- The Association Between Adverse Child Health, Psychological, Educational and Social Outcomes, and Nondependent Parental Substance: A Rapid Evidence Assessment.Trauma, violence & abuse · 2020Pooled it
- Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation Are Not Associated With Risk of Incident Ischemic Cardiac Events or Death: Findings From the UK Biobank Cohort.Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research · 2018Trial
- The Role of Vitamin B6 and Folate-Related Pathways Involved in Gut Microbial Composition in the Development of Preeclampsia: Metabolome-Wide Mendelian Randomization Analysis.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Article
- Identifying Immune Cells as Mediators in the Impact of Gut Microbiota on Congenital Malformations of the Nervous System.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- Disentangling the effects of nicotine versus non-nicotine constituents of tobacco smoke on major depressive disorder: A multivariable Mendelian randomisation study.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2025Article
- Association of diabetic nephropathy with lipid metabolism: a Mendelian randomization study.Diabetology & metabolic syndrome · 2025Article
- Protective role of gout against colorectal cancer: a Mendelian randomization study.Discover oncology · 2025Article
- Investigating causal effects of income on health using two-sample Mendelian randomisation.BMC global and public health · 2025Article
- Exploring genetic susceptibility to air pollution and its implications for disease risk and precision health: A scoping review.AIMS public health · 2025Review
- An encompassing Mendelian randomization study of the causes and consequences of major depressive disorder.Nature. Mental health · 2025Article
- Methotrexate and the Risk of Dementia: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.Neurology and therapy · 2024Article
- Association between adding salt in food and dementia in European descent: A mendelian randomization study.Brain and behavior · 2024Article
- The Relationship of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization and Population-Based Sibling Comparison Study.Biological psychiatry · 2023Article
- MR-DoC2: Bidirectional Causal Modeling with Instrumental Variables and Data from Relatives.Behavior genetics · 2023Article
- Association Between Atopic Dermatitis and Major Cardiovascular Outcomes: a Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.Dermatology practical & conceptual · 2022Review
- Effects of depression on employment and social outcomes: a Mendelian randomisation study.Journal of epidemiology and community health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsStudying the consequences of addictive behaviours is challenging, with understanding causal relationships from observational data being particularly difficult. For example, people who smoke or drink excessively are often systematically different from those who do not, are less likely to participate in research and may misreport their behaviours when they do. Furthermore, the direction of causation between an addictive behaviour and outcome may be unclear. Mendelian randomization (MR) offers potential solutions to these problems.
methodsWe describe MR's principles and the criteria under which it is valid. We identify challenges and potential solutions in its application (illustrated using two applied examples) and describe methodological extensions in its application.
resultsMR is subject to certain assumptions, and requires the availability of appropriate genetic data, large sample sizes and careful design and conduct. However, it has already been applied successfully to the addiction literature. The relationship between alcohol consumption (proxied by a variant in the ADH1B gene) and cardiovascular risk has been investigated, finding that alcohol consumption increases risk, with no evidence of a cardioprotective effect at moderate consumption levels. In addition, heaviness of smoking (proxied by a variant in the CHRNA5-A3-B4 gene cluster) and risk of depression and schizophrenia have been investigated, with no evidence of a causal effect of smoking on depression but some evidence of a causal effect on schizophrenia.
conclusionsMendelian randomization analyses are already producing robust evidence for addiction-related practice and policy. As genetic variants associated with addictive behaviours are identified, the potential for Mendelian randomization analyses will grow. Methodological developments are also increasing its applicability.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.