Investigating genetic causal relationships between blood pressure and anxiety,depressive symptoms,neuroticism and subjective well-being

Background High blood pressure is a leading cardiovascular disease risk factor and considered to be associated with psychological factors.However,the causal relationships between blood pressure and anxiety,depressive symptoms,neuroticism and subjective wellbeing are not clear.Aims The current study explored the genetic causal relationships between blood pressure and anxiety,depressive symptoms,neuroticism and subjective wellbeing.Methods Mendelian randomisation(MR)analyses were performed using the generalised summary-data-based MR analysis method with eight large-scale genome-wide association study datasets for hypertension,systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),pulse pressure,anxiety,depressive symptoms,neuroticism and subjective well-being.Results A causal effect of DBP on neuroticism was found,and 1074 independent instrumental single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified by the incorporated Heterogeneity in Dependent Instruments-outlier test among the bidirectional causal relationship between blood pressure and the four psychological states.Conclusions DBP has a causal effect on neuroticism.Appropriate management of blood pressure may reduce neuroticism,neuroticism-inducing mood disorders and cardiovascular diseases.