Cited by 1,357Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Genes and Mechanisms of Disease Pathogenesis

Open access
Karch, Celeste M., Goate, Alison M.·2015·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

We review the genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their role in AD pathogenesis. More recent advances in understanding of the human genome-technologic advances in methods to analyze millions of polymorphisms in thousands of subjects-have revealed new genes associated with AD risk, including ABCA7, BIN1, CASS4, CD33, CD2AP, CELF1, CLU, CR1, DSG2, EPHA1, FERMT2, HLA-DRB5-DBR1, INPP5D, MS4A, MEF2C, NME8, PICALM, PTK2B, SLC24H4-RIN3, SORL1, and ZCWPW1. Emerging technologies to analyze the entire genome in large data sets have also revealed coding variants that increase AD risk: PLD3 and TREM2. We review the relationship between these AD risk genes and the cellular and neuropathologic features of AD. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the association of these genes with risk for disease will provide the most meaningful targets for therapeutic development to date.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.05.006

Cites

149 of 149 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Claims the paper makes

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • PSEN1 is the catalytical component of γ-secretase.

    “PSEN1 is the catalytical component of 𝛄 -secretase (304).”

    From Blood-Brain Barrier: From Physiology to Disease and Back (2019) · cites this paper as [304]

    The “APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2” section says PSEN1 and PSEN2 are critical components of the γ-secretase complex. It does not identify PSEN1 specifically as a catalytic component, so that part of the claim is not supported by our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • To date, 228 PSEN1 mutations have been identified causing ADAD.

    “To date, 228 PSEN1 mutations have been identified causing ADAD (49, 303, 304, 440, 566, 580).”

    From Blood-Brain Barrier: From Physiology to Disease and Back (2019) · cites this paper as [304]

    The “APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2” section (page unavailable) states that dominantly inherited PSEN1 mutations cause early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. It does not state that 228 such mutations have been identified, so the specific count is unsupported by this source. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Some PSEN1 mutations lead to very early onset ADAD (<35 years of age).

    “Some PSEN1 mutations lead to very early onset ADAD ( &lt; 35 yr of age) (177, 304).”

    From Blood-Brain Barrier: From Physiology to Disease and Back (2019) · cites this paper as [304]

    The “APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2” section (page unavailable) states that dominantly inherited PSEN1 mutations cause early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. It does not specify onset before age 35, so the claim’s age threshold is not supported by this source. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • TREM2 loss-of-function impairs microglial protective functions and worsens neuronal dystrophy.

    “TREM2 loss‐of‐function impairs microglial protective functions and worsens neuronal dystrophy. 9 , 37 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 61”

    From PLCG2 modulates TREM2 expression and signaling in response to Alzheimer's disease pathology (2025) · cites this paper as [9]

    The Immune Response > TREM2 section says TREM2 stimulates microglial phagocytosis and suppresses inflammation, supporting its protective role. It reports more extensive brain atrophy in TREM2 mutation carriers with Alzheimer’s disease, but does not establish that loss of function impairs those activities or worsens neuronal dystrophy specifically. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Approximately 40% of the susceptibility genes identified in genetic studies of LOAD are immune- and microglia-related, suggesting that microglia are involved in modulating AD pathology.

    “approximately 40% of the susceptibility genes identified in genetic studies of LOAD are immune- and microglia-related, suggesting that microglia are involved in modulating AD pathology [8].”

    From PLCG2 is associated with the inflammatory response and is induced by amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease (2022) · cites this paper as [8]

    The Immune Response section lists several LOAD risk genes involved in immune pathways, and its CD33 subsection describes microglial involvement in Aβ clearance and plaque burden. Our copy does not state or substantiate the claimed approximately 40% proportion of susceptibility genes. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. [98]Bertram L Parrado AR Tanzi RE TREM2 and neurodegenerative disease. N Engl J Med 2013 369 1565 24131185
  2. [99]Benitez BA Cruchaga C TREM2 and neurodegenerative disease. N Engl J Med 2013 369 1567 1568 24131187 PMC4380008
  3. [101]Guerreiro R Hardy J TREM2 and neurodegenerative disease. N Engl J Med 2013 369 1569 1570 24143816
  4. [104]Rajagopalan P Hibar DP Thompson PM TREM2 and neurodegenerative disease. N Engl J Med 2013 369 1565 1567 24131186 PMC4024453

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Authors
Karch, C. M., & Goate, A. M.
Affiliations
Washington University in St. Louis (US)
Corresponding author
Goate, Alison M.
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-01
Volume
77
Issue
1
Pages
43-51
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1999794509
Cited by
1,357
References
149
Citations by year
2026: 80 · 2025: 136 · 2024: 130 · 2023: 132 · 2022: 151 · 2021: 153 · 2020: 146 · 2019: 117 · 2018: 94 · 2017: 94 · 2016: 74 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 5
FWCI
8.50
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (503147, G0801418)
  • National Institute on Aging (K01AG046374, R01AG035083, P50AG005681, U01AG032438)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, late-onset Alzheimer's disease, genetic risk factors, susceptibility genes, Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, single nucleotide polymorphisms, ABCA7, BIN1, SORL1, TREM2, PLD3, CD33, PICALM, clusterin, neuropathology, therapeutic target
MeSH terms
Alzheimer Disease, Cholesterol, Endocytosis, Humans, Phenotype, Risk Factors, Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Presenilin-1, Presenilin-2, Genome-Wide Association Study

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