Longitudinal analysis of a dominantly inherited Alzheimer disease mutation carrier protected from dementia – Nature.com
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Nature Medicine
(2025)Cite this article
We conducted an in-depth longitudinal study on an individual carrying the presenilin 2 p.Asn141Ile mutation, traditionally associated with dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s disease (AD), who has remarkably remained asymptomatic past the expected age of clinical onset. This study combines genetic, neuroimaging and biomarker analyses to explore the underpinnings of this resilience. Unlike typical progression in dominantly inherited AD, tau pathology in this case was confined to the occipital region without evidence of spread, potentially explaining the preservation of cognitive functions. Genetic analysis revealed several variants that, although not previously associated with protection against AD, suggest new avenues for understanding disease resistance. Notably, environmental factors such as significant heat exposure and a unique proteomic profile rich in heat shock proteins might indicate adaptive mechanisms contributing to the observed phenotype. This case underscores the complexity of Alzheimer’s pathology and suggests that blocking tau deposition could be a promising target for therapeutic intervention. The study highlights the need for further research to identify and validate the mechanisms that could inhibit or localize tau pathology as a strategy to mitigate or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia.
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Data and study samples (for example, CSF, plasma) supporting the findings of this study are available on request and will follow the policies of the DIAN (https://dian.wustl.edu), which comply with the guidelines established by the Collaboration for Alzheimer’s Prevention. De-identified whole-genome sequencing data will be made available through NIAGADS as part of the DIAN data-sharing process.
The codes used in this study, including those applied for segregation analysis, are openly accessible at the following repository: https://github.com/NeuroGenomicsAndInformatics/escapee.
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