Relationship between major depression and cervical spondylosis: A two-sample bidirectional mendelian randomization study

This study aimed to explore the causal link between cervical spondylosis (CS) and major depression (MD) using a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Bidirectional MR was employed to validate the bidirectional causal relationship between CS and MD using pooled data obtained from the Integrated Epidemiology Unit Open Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) database. MR Egger, weighted median, inverse-variance weighted (IVW), and simple mode methods were used, with priority given to IVW results. Sensitivity analyses, including heterogeneity tests, horizontal pleiotropy tests, and leave-one-out methods, were performed to confirm the stability of the MR results. In a forward MR analysis, a causal effect was found between MD and CS (IVW: OR > 1, p < 0.05). However, a reverse MR analysis indicated no causal relationship between CS and MD ( p > 0.05). Sensitivity analyses revealed no sample heterogeneity, no horizontal pleiotropy effect, and no significant bias, thus supporting the reliability of the MR analysis results. This study provides evidence demonstrating that MD is causally associated with CS, whereas CS is not causally linked to MD. These findings offer novel insights into the pathogenesis of these two prevalent diseases.