Personalized Medicine for Alzheimer's Disease | DDHS S2 EP2

In my recent episode of DDHS we talked about a recent paper published in Nature Aging. Get back to refresh yourself on our journal club (see Part 1). We talked about Alzheimer's Disease in general and what CSF is and how it reflects our brain health. Now we dive into the interesting findings the researchers present in the study.
From exploring the basics of Alzheimer's to diving into groundbreaking research on protein differences in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, this conversation promises to enlighten listeners on the forefront of Alzheimer's research.
We analyse the paper “Cerebrospinal fluid proteomics in patients with Alzheimer’s disease reveals five molecular subtypes with distinct genetic risk profiles” published January 2024 in nature aging journal.

#podcast #alzheimer #journalclub #DDHS #sciencecommunication #science

**Disclaimer:**
**Medical Advice:** My guest Dr. Corinna Haupt and me (Dr. Chandni Natalia Kumar) are not medical professionals. While we discuss common diagnosis tools and research findings related to Alzheimer's Disease, we do not provide advice for diagnosing or treating patients with AD. For medical concerns or advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
**Limitation on Coverage:** It's important to note that we cannot cover all scientific papers related to Alzheimer's Disease. In 2023 alone, approximately 17,000 papers were published on this topic (based on a PubMed search conducted on 24.02.24). Our discussions are based on a selection of relevant research and may not encompass the entirety of available literature.

**Key Points Covered:**
1. **Introduction to Alzheimer's Disease:** We provide an overview of Alzheimer's Disease, discussing its symptoms, prevalence, and impact on individuals and families worldwide.

2. **Molecular Heterogeneity and Drug Development:** The conversation delves into the heterogeneity of Alzheimer's Disease at the molecular level and why understanding this heterogeneity is critical for drug development. We introduce the concept of AD molecular subtypes defined using mass spectrometry proteomics in cerebrospinal fluid, highlighting alterations in protein levels associated with distinct molecular processes.

3. **Defining Alzheimer's Subtypes:** The discussion further explores the identified AD subtypes and their unique characteristics:
- Subtype 1: Neuronal hyperplasticity-related proteins
- Subtype 2: Innate immune activation-related proteins
- Subtype 3: RNA dysregulation-related proteins
- Subtype 4: Choroid plexus dysfunction-related proteins
- Subtype 5: Blood-brain barrier impairment-related proteins

4. **Clinical Implications and Personalized Medicine:** We emphasize how each subtype is associated with specific AD genetic risk variants, clinical outcomes, survival times, and anatomical patterns of brain atrophy. This highlights the importance of personalized medicine in addressing the molecular heterogeneity of Alzheimer's Disease.

**Key Takeaways:**
Alzheimer's Disease exhibits molecular heterogeneity, necessitating a nuanced approach to drug development.
Cerebrospinal fluid analysis can help define molecular subtypes of Alzheimer's Disease, each associated with distinct clinical and genetic characteristics.
Personalized medicine holds promise in tailoring treatments to individuals based on their specific subtype of Alzheimer's Disease.
Join us in the next episode of DDHS for more insightful conversations and diverse perspectives. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave your comments on this episode. Thanks for tuning in and as always let some daily dose of honest science bright up your day!

Get ready for exciting discoveries and astonishing insights - also on my Socials!

*Timestamps*:
0:00 – Intro
0:38 – Getting into the Results
0:50 – Subtype 1: Hyperplasticity type
4:10 – Subtype 2: Innate Immunity activation type
6:09 – Subtype 3: RNA dysregulation type
8:50 – Subtype 4: Choroid plexus dysfunction type
11:10 – Subtype 5: Blood brain barrier dysfunction type
12:13 – Our opinion
14:55 – Limitation of the Study
22:25 – Take home message and last thoughts

[ch.k]

I really enjoyed this journal club a lot. I would love to see more of these type of podcast episodes with experts in their field. Thanks for your insights!