Unlocking the Memory Component of Alzheimer’s Disease: Biological Processes and Pathways across Brain Regions

Abstract

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of memory and a general cognitive decline leading to dementia. AD is characterized by changes in the behavior of the genome and can be traced across multiple brain regions and cell types. It is mainly associated with β-amyloid deposits and tau protein misfolding, leading to neurofibrillary tangles. In recent years, however, research has shown that there is a high complexity of mechanisms involved in AD neurophysiology and functional decline enabling its diverse presentation and allowing more questions to arise. In this study, we present a computational approach to facilitate brain region-specific analysis of genes and biological processes involved in the memory process in AD. Utilizing current genetic knowledge we provide a gene set of 265 memory-associated genes in AD, combinations of which can be found co-expressed in 11 different brain regions along with their functional role. The identified genes participate in a spectrum of biological processes ranging from structural and neuronal communication to epigenetic alterations and immune system responses. These findings provide new insights into the molecular background of AD and can be used to bridge the genotype–phenotype gap and allow for new therapeutic hypotheses.

Hypothalamic connectivities predict individual differences in ADT-elicited changes in working memory and quality of life in prostate cancer patients

“…Another meta-analysis reported that variants of HPG axis-related genes, including those for corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), CRH-binding protein, CRH-receptor, glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors, may differentially affect cognitive performance 33 . Global dysfunction of the HPG axis has often been described in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease 34 , 35 . Further, hypothalamic neuronal activities conduce to learning and memory independently of motivation, arousal, and anxiety 36 – 38 .…”