Abi Karam Krystel, Abohashem Shady, Lau Hui Chong, Civieri Giovanni, Aldosoky Wesam, Khalil Maria, Arora Gagandeep Singh, Rollings Robert, Assefa Alula, Ahmad Taha Z, Bellinge Jamie W, Radfar Azar, Choi Karmel, Smoller Jordan W, Seligowski Antonia V, Tawakol Ahmed, Osborne Michael T
Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Neuropsychopharmacology. 2025 May 21. doi: 10.1038/s41386-025-02130-2.
Lower socioeconomic status (SES) and higher neuroticism polygenic risk score (NEU-PGS) associate with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Chronic stress increases CVD risk via activation of neural, autonomic, and immune pathways. We evaluated whether 1) higher NEU-PGS accentuates the association between lower SES and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE); and 2) higher stress-associated neural activity and C-reactive protein and lower heart rate variability contribute to the SES-MACE link among those with higher NEU-PGS. NEU-PGS (from those with European ancestry) and SES data were derived from individuals in the Mass General Brigham Biobank. SES was assessed as median household income (N = 18,093) and area deprivation index (ADI, N = 15,276). Lower household income was defined as the lowest tertile and higher ADI as the highest. NEU-PGS was stratified about the population median. MACE, stress-associated neural activity, heart rate variability, and C-reactive protein were assessed from clinical data. Among individuals with higher (but not lower) NEU-PGS, lower household income associated with MACE (N = 6,574; OR: 1.22, p = 0.005), stress-associated neural activity (N = 480; standardized β: 0.14, p = 0.003), and heart rate variability (1,361; -0.05, p = 0.041). Higher ADI associated with MACE (5,441; 1.24, p = 0.008) and heart rate variability (1,127; -0.09, p = 0.001) among those with higher (but not lower) NEU-PGS. Lower SES associated with higher C-reactive protein across NEU-PGS groups. The mediating effect of stress-associated neural activity, heart rate variability and C-reactive protein in the SES-MACE relationship was moderated by higher NEU-PGS. Individuals with higher NEU-PGS experience greater CVD risk related to lower SES via alterations in neural, autonomic, and immune mechanisms.
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