Alzheimer's genetics in the GWAS era: a continuing story of 'replications and refutations'

Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2011 Jun;11(3):246-53. doi: 10.1007/s11910-011-0193-z.

Abstract

After a decade of intensive investigation but only few replicable results, Alzheimer's disease (AD) genetics research is slowly picking up pace. This is mostly owing to the completion of several genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which have suggested the existence of over three dozen potential new AD susceptibility genes. Although only a handful of these could be confirmed in subsequent independent replication efforts to date, this success rate is still much higher than in the pre-GWAS era. This review provides a brief summary of the principal methodologic advances in genetics research of the past decade, followed by a description of the most compelling findings that these advances have unearthed in AD. The paper closes with a discussion of the persistent methodologic difficulties and challenges and an outlook on what we can expect to gain from the next 10 years of AD genetics research.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics*
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Genome, Human
  • Genome-Wide Association Study*
  • Humans
  • Mutation
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide