ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijcemr.2025.11.010
Progress of Mendelian Randomization Study in Tinnitus
Yixin Zhang
Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, Shandong, China.
*Corresponding author: Yixin Zhang
Published: December 1,2025
Abstract
Tinnitus is a kind of abnormal symptom that patients perceive the sound subjectively when there is no external sound source stimulation. Tinnitus is a very common problem worldwide, and many people are deeply disturbed by it. Discomfort and dysfunction of different degrees follow closely, which has a serious negative impact on the daily life, work, and mental health of patients. In-depth analysis of the causes of tinnitus is the core premise of developing effective intervention methods and improving the condition of patients. Mendelian randomization (MR), as a powerful tool to infer the causal relationship between exposure and outcome, with genetic variation as a tool variable, provides a new perspective for research. This review comprehensively reviews the principles and statistical methods of MR, not only expounds its advantages of avoiding the interference of confounding factors and deducing causality more accurately through genetic information, but also points out that it may have limitations, such as the selection bias of genetic variation tool variables. We focused on recent MR studies of tinnitus, explored its genetic basis, and revealed potential causal factors. Finally, the contribution of MR in tinnitus research was discussed in detail, such as clarifying the causal relationship between some risk factors and tinnitus. At the same time, it was proposed to strengthen multi-center research and optimize the selection of tool variables in the future, so as to point out a new path for tinnitus research.
Keywords
Mendelian Randomization; Tinnitus; Causal Inference; Genetic Epidemiology; Instrumental Variable
References
[1] Lawlor DA, Harbord RM, Tybjaerg-Hansen A, et al. Mendelian Randomization: Using Genes as Instruments for Making Causal Inferences in Epidemiology. Stat Methods Med Res. 2008;17(3):239-259. doi:10.1177/0962280207080321.
[2] Burgess S, Thompson SG. Mendelian Randomization: Methods for Using Genetic Variants in Causal Estimation. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2015.
[3] Burgess S, Thompson SG. Interpreting Findings from Mendelian Randomization Studies. Eur J Epidemiol. 2013;28(1):1-12. doi:10.1007/s10654-013-9786-1.
[4] Bowden J, Davey Smith G, Haycock PC, et al. Consistent Estimation in Mendelian Randomization with Some Invalid Instru-ments Using a Weighted Median Estimator. Genet Epidemiol. 2016;40(4):304-314. doi:10.1002/gepi.21965.
[5] Smith GD, Ebrahim S. Mendelian randomization: prospects, potentials, and limitations. Int J Epidemiol. 2003;32(1):1-22. doi:10.1093/ije/dyg070.
[6] Pierce BL, Burgess S. Efficient Design for Mendelian Randomization Studies: The Role of Multiple Instruments. Int J Epidemiol. 2013;42(3):1034-1044. doi:10.1093/ije/dyt122.
[7] Zeng Q, Xie W, Dong H, et al. Causal Effects of Gut Microbiome on Tinnitus: A Mendelian Randomization Study. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2025;18:4159-4172. doi:10.2147/JMDH.S525502.
[8] Zhu J, Ma R, Chai Z, et al. A Mendelian randomization study on the causal association between social stress and tinnitus onset. J Clin Med Pract. 2024;2024:2091.
doi:10.7619/jcmp.20242091.
How to cite this paper
Progress of Mendelian Randomization Study in Tinnitus
How to cite this paper: Yixin Zhang. (2025) Progress of Mendelian Randomization Study in Tinnitus. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Research, 9(6), 636-639.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijcemr.2025.11.010