Genetics of early-life head circumference and genetic correlations with neurological, psychiatric and cognitive outcomes

BACKGROUND: Head circumference is associated with intelligence and tracks from childhood into adulthood. METHODS: We performed a genome-wide association study meta-analysis and follow-up of head circumference in a total of 29,192 participants between 6 and 30 months of age. RESULTS: Seven loci reached genome-wide significance in the combined discovery and replication analysis of which three loci near ARFGEF2, MYCL1, and TOP1, were novel. We observed positive genetic correlations for early-life head circumference with adult intracranial volume, years of schooling, childhood and adult intelligence, but not with adult psychiatric, neurological, or personality-related phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that the biological processes underlying early-life head circumference overlap largely with those of adult head circumference. The associations of early-life head circumference with cognitive outcomes across the life course are partly explained by genetics. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12920-022-01281-1.