Identifying the causal genetic associations between metabolic disorders and neurodegenerative disorders in Indian population

Faculty : Bratati Kahali (CBR) Govindan Rangarajan (Department of Mathematics) and Balaji Jayaprakash (CNS)

General obesity measured by body mass index (BMI), central abdominal obesity (CO) can predispose individuals to type 2 diabetes (T2D). And T2D often co-occurs with or predisposes individuals to Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). Therefore, in this project we ask the following questions to be answered from a study of 10,000- 20,000 Indian individuals:

What are the genetic loci that predispose our Indian population towards BMI, CO, T2D, AD. How are these disease trait correlated in the Indian population? Are there any genetic overlaps for association to these diseases in the Indian population? What is causal relationship of general and abdominal obesity to T2D and AD, in terms of genetic contribution? Does general or abdominal obesity predispose Indians to neurodegenerative conditions, like AD via T2D or independent of T2D?

We will use linear or logistic regression models depending on the type of disease phenotype for association of genotypes with diseases traits. We will also employ linear or logistic regression models to evaluate the cross-sectional association between the above-mentioned disease measures, while adjusting for age, sex, population stratification, alcohol consumption, and commonly correlated phenotypic measures.

In this project therefore, we would work towards understanding the causal genetic associations between metabolic disorders and neurodegenerative disorders in Indian population.