Endophenotypes in normal brain morphology and Alzheimer's disease: a review.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Reitz C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2812814 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Endophenotypes in normal brain morphology and Alzheimer's disease: a review.
Neuroscience 20090409 1
Late-onset Alzheimer's disease is a common complex disorder of old age. Though these types of disorders can be highly heritable, they differ from single-gene (Mendelian) diseases in that their causes are often multifactorial with both genetic and environmental components. Genetic risk factors that have been firmly implicated in the cause are mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 (PSEN1) and presenilin 2 (PSEN2) genes, which are found in large multi-generational families ...[more]
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Project description:BackgroundAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder and the most common type of dementia. AD is characterized by a decline of cognitive function and brain atrophy, and is highly heritable with estimated heritability ranging from 60 to 80[Formula: see text]. The most straightforward and widely used strategy to identify AD genetic basis is to perform genome-wide association study (GWAS) of the case-control diagnostic status. These GWAS studies have identified over 50 AD related susceptibility loci. Recently, imaging genetics has emerged as a new field where brain imaging measures are studied as quantitative traits to detect genetic factors. Given that many imaging genetics studies did not involve the diagnostic outcome in the analysis, the identified imaging or genetic markers may not be related or specific to the disease outcome.ResultsWe propose a novel method to identify disease-related genetic variants enriched by imaging endophenotypes, which are the imaging traits associated with both genetic factors and disease status. Our analysis consists of three steps: (1) map the effects of a genetic variant (e.g., single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP) onto imaging traits across the brain using a linear regression model, (2) map the effects of a diagnosis phenotype onto imaging traits across the brain using a linear regression model, and (3) detect SNP-diagnosis association via correlating the SNP effects with the diagnostic effects on the brain-wide imaging traits. We demonstrate the promise of our approach by applying it to the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database. Among 54 AD related susceptibility loci reported in prior large-scale AD GWAS, our approach identifies 41 of those from a much smaller study cohort while the standard association approaches identify only two of those. Clearly, the proposed imaging endophenotype enriched approach can reveal promising AD genetic variants undetectable using the traditional method.ConclusionWe have proposed a novel method to identify AD genetic variants enriched by brain-wide imaging endophenotypes. This approach can not only boost detection power, but also reveal interesting biological pathways from genetic determinants to intermediate brain traits and to phenotypic AD outcomes.
| S-EPMC9344647 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is moderately to highly heritable. Apolipoprotein E allele ?4 (APOE4) has been replicated consistently as an AD risk factor over many studies, and recently confirmed variants in other genes such as CLU, CR1, and PICALM each increase the lifetime risk of AD. However, much of the heritability of AD remains unexplained. AD is a complex disease that is diagnosed largely through neuropsychological testing, though neuroimaging measures may be more sensitive for detecting the incipient disease stages. Difficulties in early diagnosis and variable environmental contributions to the disease can obscure genetic relationships in traditional case-control genetic studies. Neuroimaging measures may be used as endophenotypes for AD, offering a reliable, objective tool to search for possible genetic risk factors. Imaging measures might also clarify the specific mechanisms by which proposed risk factors influence the brain.
| S-EPMC3087508 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Recent evidence suggests the existence of many undiscovered heritable brain phenotypes involved in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pathogenesis. This finding necessitates methods for the discovery of causal brain changes in AD that integrate Magnetic Resonance Imaging measures and genotypic data. However, existing approaches for causal inference in this setting, such as the univariate Imaging Wide Association Study (UV-IWAS), suffer from inconsistent effect estimation and inflated Type I errors in the presence of genetic pleiotropy, the phenomenon in which a variant affects multiple causal intermediate risk phenotypes. In this study, we implement a multivariate extension to the IWAS model, namely MV-IWAS, to consistently estimate and test for the causal effects of multiple brain imaging endophenotypes from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) in the presence of pleiotropic and possibly correlated SNPs. We further extend MV-IWAS to incorporate variant-specific direct effects on AD, analogous to the existing Egger regression Mendelian Randomization approach, which allows for testing of remaining pleiotropy after adjusting for multiple intermediate pathways. We propose a convenient approach for implementing MV-IWAS that solely relies on publicly available GWAS summary data and a reference panel. Through simulations with either individual-level or summary data, we demonstrate the well controlled Type I errors and superior power of MV-IWAS over UV-IWAS in the presence of pleiotropic SNPs. We apply the summary statistic based tests to 1578 heritable imaging derived phenotypes (IDPs) from the UK Biobank. MV-IWAS detected numerous IDPs as possible false positives by UV-IWAS while uncovering many additional causal neuroimaging phenotypes in AD which are strongly supported by the existing literature.
| S-EPMC7778364 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Information about the genes that are preferentially expressed during the course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this common cause of cognitive impairment in older persons, provide new opportunities in the diagnosis, early detection, and tracking of this disorder, and provide novel targets for the discovery of interventions to treat and prevent this disorder. Information about the genes that are preferentially expressed in relationship to normal neurological aging could provide new information about the molecular mechanisms that are involved in normal age-related cognitive decline and a host of age-related neurological disorders, and they could provide novel targets for the discovery of interventions to mitigate some of these deleterious effects. Aim 1. Collect brain samples from three Alzheimer’s Disease Centers (ADCs) for subsequent gene expression profiling. Individuals will be stratified with respect to diagnostic groups (using both clinical and neuropathological criteria), age groups, and APOE genotype. 150 individual brains will be sampled from the Arizona ADC, the Duke University ADC, and the Washington University ADC. Miniscule sample sizes (200 um of sectioned tissue) from six brain regions that are histopathologically or metabolically relevant to AD and aging will be collected, ensuring that this proposal does not deplete the national resource. Frozen and fixed samples will be sent to Phoenix, sectioned in a standardized fashion, and then returned. Aim 2. Tissue heterogeneity will be eliminated prior to expression profiling by performing laser capture microscopy on all brain regions. Aim 3. Expression profile LCM-captured cells on the Affymetrix U133 Plus 2.0 array (~55,000 transcripts), and quickly provide these data to the community at large. Aim 4. Identify pathogenic cascades related to each of the clinico-pathologic correlates using unsupervised and supervised analyses coupled with a hypothesis-driven approach. Aim 5. Validation of the expression correlates at the protein and functional levels. Scientific progress in the last few years has improved our understanding of AD and raised the hope of identifying treatments to halt the progression and prevent the onset of this disorder. For instance, researchers have begun to characterize the cascade of molecular events which lead to the major histopathological features of the disorder: neuritic plaques, which contain extra-cellular deposits of amyloid beta-peptides (Abeta); neurofibrillary tangles, which contain the hyperphosphorylated form of the intracellular, microtubule-associated protein, tau; and a loss of neurons and synapses. These molecular events provide targets for the development of promising new treatments. For example, A-beta has been postulated to trigger a cascade of events that are involved in the pathogenesis of AD. This proposal hopes to provide new information about the genes that are preferentially expressed in the development of AD histopathology, including the over-expression of APP, amyloid-induced neurotoxicity, and hyperphosphorylation of tau, as well as bring clarity to the metabolic abnormalities that seem to play a role in dementia and AD development and pathology. We will perform LCM on 6 brain regions with about 14 biological replicates per brain region. The brain regions are as follows: 1) entorhinal cortex 2) hippocampus 3) medial temporal gyrus 4) posterior cingulate 5) superior frontal gyrus and 6) primary visual cortex. We will collect layer III pyramidal cells from the white matter in each region, isolate total RNA from LCMed cell lysates, and perform double round amplification of each sample for array analysis. Keywords: other
2006-07-10 | E-GEOD-5281 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:There is great interest in blood-based markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), especially in its pre-symptomatic stages. Therefore, we aimed to identify plasma proteins whose levels associate with potential markers of pre-symptomatic AD. We also aimed to characterise confounding by genetics and the effect of genetics on blood proteins in general. Panel-based proteomics was performed using SOMAscan on plasma samples from TwinsUK subjects who are asymptomatic for AD, measuring the level of 1129 proteins. Protein levels were compared with 10-year change in CANTAB-paired associates learning (PAL; n = 195), and regional brain volumes (n = 34). Replication of proteins associated with regional brain volumes was performed in 254 individuals from the AddNeuroMed cohort. Across all the proteins measured, genetic factors were found to explain ~26% of the variability in blood protein levels on average. The plasma level of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) MAPKAPK5 protein was found to positively associate with the 10-year change in CANTAB-PAL in both the individual and twin difference context. The plasma level of protein MAP2K4 was found to suggestively associate negatively (Q < 0.1) with the volume of the left entorhinal cortex. Future studies will be needed to assess the specificity of MAPKAPK5 and MAP2K4 to eventual conversion to AD.
| S-EPMC4490288 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Information about the genes that are preferentially expressed during the course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this common cause of cognitive impairment in older persons, provide new opportunities in the diagnosis, early detection, and tracking of this disorder, and provide novel targets for the discovery of interventions to treat and prevent this disorder. Information about the genes that are preferentially expressed in relationship to normal neurological aging could provide new information about the molecular mechanisms that are involved in normal age-related cognitive decline and a host of age-related neurological disorders, and they could provide novel targets for the discovery of interventions to mitigate some of these deleterious effects. Aim 1. Collect brain samples from three Alzheimer’s Disease Centers (ADCs) for subsequent gene expression profiling. Individuals will be stratified with respect to diagnostic groups (using both clinical and neuropathological criteria), age groups, and APOE genotype. 150 individual brains will be sampled from the Arizona ADC, the Duke University ADC, and the Washington University ADC. Miniscule sample sizes (200 um of sectioned tissue) from six brain regions that are histopathologically or metabolically relevant to AD and aging will be collected, ensuring that this proposal does not deplete the national resource. Frozen and fixed samples will be sent to Phoenix, sectioned in a standardized fashion, and then returned. Aim 2. Tissue heterogeneity will be eliminated prior to expression profiling by performing laser capture microscopy on all brain regions. Aim 3. Expression profile LCM-captured cells on the Affymetrix U133 Plus 2.0 array (~55,000 transcripts), and quickly provide these data to the community at large. Aim 4. Identify pathogenic cascades related to each of the clinico-pathologic correlates using unsupervised and supervised analyses coupled with a hypothesis-driven approach. Aim 5. Validation of the expression correlates at the protein and functional levels. Scientific progress in the last few years has improved our understanding of AD and raised the hope of identifying treatments to halt the progression and prevent the onset of this disorder. For instance, researchers have begun to characterize the cascade of molecular events which lead to the major histopathological features of the disorder: neuritic plaques, which contain extra-cellular deposits of amyloid beta-peptides (Abeta); neurofibrillary tangles, which contain the hyperphosphorylated form of the intracellular, microtubule-associated protein, tau; and a loss of neurons and synapses. These molecular events provide targets for the development of promising new treatments. For example, A-beta has been postulated to trigger a cascade of events that are involved in the pathogenesis of AD. This proposal hopes to provide new information about the genes that are preferentially expressed in the development of AD histopathology, including the over-expression of APP, amyloid-induced neurotoxicity, and hyperphosphorylation of tau, as well as bring clarity to the metabolic abnormalities that seem to play a role in dementia and AD development and pathology. We will perform LCM on 6 brain regions with about 14 biological replicates per brain region. The brain regions are as follows: 1) entorhinal cortex 2) hippocampus 3) medial temporal gyrus 4) posterior cingulate 5) superior frontal gyrus and 6) primary visual cortex. We will collect layer III pyramidal cells from the white matter in each region, isolate total RNA from LCMed cell lysates, and perform double round amplification of each sample for array analysis. Keywords: other
2006-07-10 | GSE5281 | GEO
Project description:IntroductionGenetic associations for endophenotypes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in cognitive stages preceding AD have not been thoroughly evaluated.MethodsWe conducted genome-wide association studies for AD-related endophenotypes including hippocampal volume, logical memory scores, and cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 and total/phosphorylated tau in cognitively normal (CN), mild cognitive impairment, and AD dementia subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study.ResultsIn CN subjects, study-wide significant (P < 8.3 × 10-9) loci were identified for total tau near SRRM4 and C14orf79 and for hippocampal volume near MTUS1. In mild cognitive impairment subjects, study-wide significant association was found with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near ZNF804B for logical memory test of delayed recall scores. We found consistent expression patterns of C14orf40 and MTUS1 in carriers with risk alleles of expression SNPs and in brains of AD patients, compared with in the noncarriers and in brains of controls.DiscussionOur findings for AD-related brain changes before AD provide insight about early AD-related biological processes.
| S-EPMC5938137 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesEpidemiological evidence linking diet, one of the most important modifiable lifestyle factors, and risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is rapidly increasing. However, there is little or no evidence for a direct association between dietary nutrients and brain biomarkers of AD. This study identifies nutrient patterns associated with major brain AD biomarkers in a cohort of clinically and cognitively normal (NL) individuals at risk for AD.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingManhattan (broader area).ParticipantsFifty-two NL individuals (age 54+12 y, 70% women, Clinical Dementia Rating=0, MMSE>27, neuropsychological test performance within norms by age and education) with complete dietary information and cross-sectional, 3D T1-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI; gray matter volumes, GMV, a marker of brain atrophy), 11C-Pittsburgh compound-B (PiB; a marker of fibrillar amyloid-β, Aβ) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG; a marker of glucose metabolism, METglc) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans were examined.MeasurementsDietary intake of 35 nutrients associated with cognitive function and AD was assessed using the Harvard/Willet Food Frequency Questionnaire. Principal component analysis was used to generate nutrient patterns (NP) from the full nutrient panel. Statistical parametric mapping and voxel based morphometry were used to assess the associations of the identified NPs with AD biomarkers.ResultsNone of the participants were diabetics, smokers, or met criteria for obesity. Five NPs were identified: NP1 was characterized by most B-vitamins and several minerals [VitB and Minerals]; NP2 by monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, including ω-3 and ω-6 PUFA, and vitamin E [VitE and PUFA]; NP3 by vitamin A, vitamin C, carotenoids and dietary fibers [Anti-oxidants and Fibers]; NP4 by vitamin B12, vitamin D and zinc [VitB12 and D]; NP5 by saturated, trans-saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium [Fats]. Voxel-based analysis showed that NP4 scores [VitB12 and D] were positively associated with METglc and GMV, and negatively associated with PiB retention in AD-vulnerable regions (p<0.001). In addition, both METglc and GMV were positively associated with NP2 scores [VitE and PUFA], and negatively associated with NP5 scores [Fats] (p<0.001), and METglc was positively associated with higher NP3 scores [Anti-oxidants and Fibers] (p<0.001). Adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, education, caloric intake, BMI, alcohol consumption, family history and Apolipoprotein E (APOE) status did not attenuate these relationships. The identified 'AD-protective' nutrient combination was associated with higher intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, fish and low-fat dairies, and lower intake of sweets, fried potatoes, high-fat dairies, processed meat and butter.ConclusionSpecific dietary NPs are associated with brain biomarkers of AD in NL individuals, suggesting that dietary interventions may play a role in the prevention of AD by modulating AD-risk through its effects on Aβ and associated neuronal impairment.
| S-EPMC4375781 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Telomere length (TL) is associated with biological aging, consequently influencing the risk of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aimed to evaluate the potential causal role of TL in AD endophenotypes (i.e., cognitive performance, N = 2233; brain age and AD-related signatures, N = 1134; and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (CSF) of AD and neurodegeneration, N = 304) through a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Our analysis was conducted in the context of the ALFA (ALzheimer and FAmilies) study, a population of cognitively healthy individuals at risk of AD. A total of 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with TL were used to determine the effect of TL on AD endophenotypes. Analyses were adjusted by age, sex, and years of education. Stratified analyses by APOE-ɛ4 status and polygenic risk score of AD were conducted. MR analysis revealed significant associations between genetically predicted longer TL and lower levels of CSF Aβ and higher levels of CSF NfL only in APOE-ɛ4 non-carriers. Moreover, inheriting longer TL was associated with greater cortical thickness in age and AD-related brain signatures and lower levels of CSF p-tau among individuals at a high genetic predisposition to AD. Further observational analyses are warranted to better understand these associations.
| S-EPMC9641781 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Uncovering the underlying genetic component of any disease is key to the understanding of its pathophysiology and may open new avenues for development of therapeutic strategies and biomarkers. In the past several years, there has been an explosion of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) resulting in the discovery of novel candidate genes conferring risk for complex diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. Despite this success, there still remains a substantial genetic component for many complex traits and conditions that is unexplained by the GWAS findings. Additionally, in many cases, the mechanism of action of the newly discovered disease risk variants is not inherently obvious. Furthermore, a genetic region with multiple genes may be identified via GWAS, making it difficult to discern the true disease risk gene. Several alternative approaches are proposed to overcome these potential shortcomings of GWAS, including the use of quantitative, biologically relevant phenotypes. Gene expression levels represent an important class of endophenotypes. Genetic linkage and association studies that utilize gene expression levels as endophenotypes determined that the expression levels of many genes are under genetic influence. This led to the postulate that there may exist many genetic variants that confer disease risk via modifying gene expression levels. Results from the handful of genetic studies which assess gene expression level endophenotypes in conjunction with disease risk suggest that this combined phenotype approach may both increase the power for gene discovery and lead to an enhanced understanding of their mode of action. This review summarizes the evidence in support of gene expression levels as promising endophenotypes in the discovery and characterization of novel candidate genes for complex diseases, which may also represent a novel approach in the genetic studies of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
| S-EPMC3113300 | biostudies-literature