Fig. 2: Assumptions of our genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization analyses.

a Genetic correlation using LD score regression between Hearing difficulty (HDiff) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) genome-wide SNPs. b Bidirectional Mendelian randomization using exposure instruments (e.g., genome-wide significant lead SNPs from HDiff GWAS) in causal association with outcome (e.g., AD). c Mendelian randomization using SNPs from studies available in MR-base database as exposure instruments in causal association with the outcome for each trait, HDiff, and AD.