Mass General Brigham study uncovers 16 novel Alzheimer’s risk genes

Researchers from Mass-General Brigham have carried out a multi-jurestry, entire genome sequencing association study of Alzheimer’s disease and found evidence for 16 new sensitivity genes, which extended the study of Alzheimer’s disease in under-represented groups. Their results are published in Alzheimer & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

For the study, co-conducted by Julian Daniel Sunday Willett, MD, PhD and Mohammad Waqas, from the Genetics and Aging Research Unit and McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the founders of Mass-General Brigham, used researchers used researchers whole -genome sequencing and a cohort of 49.149 individuals. The study included 12,074 participants who were clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and 37,075 diagnosed for their family history. Participants came from several public databases and almost half were of non-European descent. Researchers found 16 new disease-associated genetic signals from Alzheimer’s and emphasized the importance of studying various populations. According to the Co-Senior author Dmitry Prokopenko, PhD, the team is planning to analyze extra sets of entire genomesquencing data, with a double increase in sample size, including a genes-based rare variant analysis. They also intend to combine the signals of rare variants in genes.

We were pleasantly surprised to have made this discovery by expanding genetic analyzes that go beyond populations of European descent to more diverse populations. We hope that this will lead to more accurate predictions of Alzheimer’s sickness disease and to new pharmacological and biological goals for treatment and prevention in populations with different ancestors. “

Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, co-senior author, director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit, the McCance Center for Brain Health and co-director of the Institute for Neurodegenerative disease at Massachusetts General Hospital