Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are common chronic diseases with unknown etiology, and the association between virus and its pathogenesis is not clear. The aim of this study is to explore the role of virus in the pathogenesis of NDs by analyzing the causal effect between infectious mononucleosis (IM) mainly caused by Epstein-Barr virus and NDs. Based on the summary statistics of a large-scale genome-wide association study, we analyzed the causal effects of IM and NDs by Mendelian randomization (MR) using genetic variants as instrumental variables, including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. The reliability and stability of the MR analysis results were assessed by the MR-Egger intercept test, MR-PRESSO test, and heterogeneity test. Twenty-two single nucleotide polymorphisms that were significantly and strongly associated with IM were used as instrumental variables in the MR analysis. Inverse variance weighted as the main method of MR analysis shows that there were significant causal effects between IM and Alzheimer disease (OR: 1.037, 95% CI: 1.006-1.070) and Parkinson disease (OR: 0.964, 95% CI: 0.930-1.000), while IM was not significantly associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (P = .269) and multiple sclerosis (P = .182). Sensitivity analyses showed that the results were robust. This study suggests that EB virus may contribute to the pathogenesis of NDs, and more research is needed to explore the specific mechanism of virus action on NDs.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Peng, S., Ouyang, J., Liu, Y., Wang, L., & Liu, R. (2025). Causal effect of infectious mononucleosis on neurodegenerative diseases: A Mendelian randomization study. Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000044145
Vancouver
Peng S, Ouyang J, Liu Y, Wang L, Liu R. Causal effect of infectious mononucleosis on neurodegenerative diseases: A Mendelian randomization study. Medicine. 2025. doi:10.1097/md.0000000000044145. PMID: 40898457.
BibTeX
@article{peng2025-40898457,
author = {Peng, Shijun and Ouyang, Jia and Liu, Yezu and Wang, Lepeng and Liu, Ruen},
title = {{Causal effect of infectious mononucleosis on neurodegenerative diseases: A Mendelian randomization study}},
journal = {Medicine},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1097/md.0000000000044145},
pmid = {40898457},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000044145}
}
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Key findings
- The reliability and stability of the MR analysis results were assessed by the MR-Egger intercept test, MR-PRESSO test, and heterogeneity test.
- Twenty-two single nucleotide polymorphisms that were significantly and strongly associated with IM were used as instrumental variables in the MR analysis.
- Inverse variance weighted as the main method of MR analysis shows that there were significant causal effects between IM and Alzheimer disease (OR: 1.037, 95% CI: 1.006-1.070) and Parkinson disease (OR: 0.964, 95% CI: 0.930-1.000), while IM was not significantly associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (P = .269) and multiple sclerosis (P = .182).
- Sensitivity analyses showed that the results were robust.
- This study suggests that EB virus may contribute to the pathogenesis of NDs, and more research is needed to explore the specific mechanism of virus action on NDs.
Why it matters
Using genetic analysis, this study found evidence that infectious mononucleosis, mainly caused by Epstein-Barr virus, may have a causal effect on Alzheimer's disease risk. This suggests a possible viral link to Alzheimer's disease, but the finding comes from statistical genetic methods and does not prove that preventing mononucleosis would prevent Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Effect sizeOR: 1.037; OR: 0.964
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Medicine: journal h-index 285 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ruen Liu: h-index 21 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Peking University People's Hospital: institution h-index 335 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40898457) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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