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58/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 58 out of 100. Long-term cohort studies

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Medical imaging provides numerous insights into the subclinical changes that precede serious diseases such as heart disease and dementia. However, most imaging research either describes a single organ system or draws on clinical cohorts with small sample sizes. In this study, we use state-of-the-art multi-organ magnetic resonance imaging phenotypes to investigate cross-sectional relationships across the heart-brain-liver axis in 30,444 UK Biobank participants.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

McCracken, C., Raisi-Estabragh, Z., Veldsman, M., Raman, B., Dennis, A., Husain, M., et al. (2022). Multi-organ imaging demonstrates the heart-brain-liver axis in UK Biobank participants. Nature communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35321-2

Vancouver

McCracken C, Raisi-Estabragh Z, Veldsman M, Raman B, Dennis A, Husain M, et al. Multi-organ imaging demonstrates the heart-brain-liver axis in UK Biobank participants. Nature communications. 2022. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-35321-2. PMID: 36543768.

BibTeX

@article{mccracken2022-36543768,
  author  = {McCracken, C. and Raisi-Estabragh, Z. and Veldsman, M. and Raman, B. and Dennis, A. and Husain, M. and Nichols, T. E. and Petersen, S. E. and others},
  title   = {{Multi-organ imaging demonstrates the heart-brain-liver axis in UK Biobank participants}},
  journal = {Nature communications},
  year    = {2022},
  doi     = {10.1038/s41467-022-35321-2},
  pmid    = {36543768},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35321-2}
}

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Key findings

However, most imaging research either describes a single organ system or draws on clinical cohorts with small sample sizes.
In this study, we use state-of-the-art multi-organ magnetic resonance imaging phenotypes to investigate cross-sectional relationships across the heart-brain-liver axis in 30,444 UK Biobank participants.
Despite controlling for an extensive range of demographic and clinical covariates, we find significant associations between imaging-derived phenotypes of the heart (left ventricular structure, function and aortic distensibility), brain (brain volumes, white matter hyperintensities and white matter microstructure), and liver (liver fat, liver iron and fibroinflammation).
Simultaneous three-organ modelling identifies differentially important pathways across the heart-brain-liver axis with evidence of both direct and indirect associations.

Why it matters

This study used multi-organ imaging to find cross-sectional relationships across the heart, brain, and liver in UK Biobank participants. It does not show that treating heart or liver conditions prevents dementia, and the findings are cross-sectional associations.

Study details

Study designcross-sectional
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 58/100

Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	9 / 10	Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Nature communications)
Journal's citation record	4 / 4	Nature Communications: journal h-index 747 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	4 / 12	A snapshot of people at one point in time
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	3 / 5	2022 — within 6 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	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
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	4 / 7	Cited 72 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	12.0 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 6.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	1 / 6	Cited by 2 other studies in this library
Still being cited	3 / 4	Cited 61 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	4 / 4	Last-listed author Stefan Neubauer: h-index 128 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	2 / 3	University of Oxford: institution h-index 2,205 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	3 / 3	OpenAlex lists 11 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 36543768)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Total	58 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

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