A study conducted by researchers from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has analyzed more than 1.6 million brain cells from older adults to understand the cellular changes that occur in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The study aimed to identify new avenues for preventing the most common cause of dementia in older individuals. The researchers discovered a second community of cells that can drive the brain down a different path that does not lead to Alzheimer’s disease. This highlights the complexity of Alzheimer’s as a disease involving multiple cells and their interactions.
The study utilized new molecular technologies, machine-learning techniques, and a large collection of brains donated by aging adults to analyze brain samples at a cellular level. By looking at individual cells, the researchers were able to identify where in the sequence of events leading to Alzheimer’s certain genes play a role and which cells are involved at each step. This detailed information on the cognitive state of brain donors before death allowed the researchers to reconstruct trajectories of brain aging from the earliest stages of the disease. The study required over 400 brains from the Religious Orders Study and the Memory & Aging Project based at Rush University in Chicago.
Through the analysis of 1.6 million brain cells using algorithms and machine-learning techniques, the researchers were able to gain new insights into potential sequences of molecular events leading to altered brain function and cognitive impairment. The study identified two types of microglial cells, the immune cells of the brain, as initiators of the amyloid and tau accumulation that define Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, astrocytes were found to play a key role in altering electrical connectivity in the brain, leading to cognitive impairment. The communication between different cells and the involvement of additional cell types contributes to a disruption in the way the human brain functions.
By understanding how individual cells contribute to different stages of Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers believe they can identify the best approach to reducing the activity of pathogenic cellular communities in each individual, ultimately returning brain cells to a healthy state. This study provides exciting new insights that can guide innovative therapeutic development for Alzheimer’s and brain aging. By modifying cellular communities, it may be possible to preserve cognitive function and intervene at different points along the sequence of events leading to Alzheimer’s disease. The findings from this study have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of Alzheimer’s and pave the way for new treatment strategies.
