Researchers use AI and molecular mapping to study Alzheimer's disease

An international research collaboration, supported by the National Institutes of Health, has developed a comprehensive molecular map of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. By analyzing over 6.3 million cell nuclei from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of 1,494 individuals, researchers identified that Alzheimer's does not stem from a single mechanism but involves diverse molecular changes across multiple cell types.

Complementing this broad mapping, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have introduced an artificial intelligence tool called Hicformer. This tool models how DNA sequences and three-dimensional genome folding influence gene activity in brain cells. The study, published in Science, found that in Alzheimer's-affected cells, the organization of DNA changes, causing normally distinct active and inactive regions to become mixed. This reorganization is directly linked to altered gene expression related to brain cell function, potentially offering new targets for precise medical treatments.