Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of poor health worldwide, but the heart rarely malfunctions in isolation. Growing evidence suggests that heart problems frequently occur alongside damage to other vital organs, such as the brain, liver, and joints. This co-occurrence, known as multimorbidity, may be driven by shared biological processes like chronic inflammation, metabolic disorders, or problems with small blood vessels. Currently, most medical research and treatment focus on one organ at a time, which leaves a gap in our understanding of how these systems interact. To better treat patients, we need a whole-body approach that investigates how heart health directly influences the physical structure and function of the brain and liver.
The primary aim of this project is to systematically map the connections between heart disease and these other organ systems using the unique data available in the UK Biobank. We seek to answer how changes in heart structure and function relate to silent damage in the brain, such as signs of early aging, and liver conditions like fatty liver disease. Furthermore, we intend to identify specific genetic markers that make certain individuals susceptible to developing heart, brain, and liver diseases simultaneously. By analyzing these relationships, we hope to understand whether subclinical heart issues act as an early warning sign for problems elsewhere in the body.
Ultimately, this research aims to create new risk prediction tools that combine high-resolution organ imaging with genetic profiles. These tools could help identify individuals at high risk of developing multiple chronic diseases before severe symptoms appear. By uncovering the shared biological pathways linking these organs, our findings could support the development of comprehensive screening strategies and treatments that protect multiple organs at once, rather than treating each condition in isolation.
