Exploring the Origin and Composition of a Unique Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease

This research will explore what makes these plaques unique, what proteins they contain compared to typical Alzheimer’s plaques, and whether specific genes are involved.

Some people with early-onset Alzheimer’s have a rare type of pathology in the brain called “cotton wool plaques” (CWPs), but their cause is still a mystery. Our research will explore what makes these plaques unique, what proteins they contain compared to typical Alzheimer’s plaques, and whether specific genes are involved. By studying CWPs, we hope to uncover new insights into how Alzheimer’s develops and why the disease varies between patients.

Our comprehensive approach, comprising not only histochemistry and proteomics but also genetic analyses of the same AD individuals, is highly innovative.

Overall, we will shed light on proteomic and genetic events associated with cotton wool plaques. Gaining insights into the factors that affect plaque formation and composition will enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms. Our large sample size of pathologically confirmed AD with cotton wool plaques exceeds the number of such individuals that have ever been analyzed for proteomics and genomics alterations. Extensive replication cohorts of additional EOAD and LOAD further emphasize the unique character of the proposed work.