Home › Research › TREM2 and immune genetics
A Path Toward Precision Medicine for Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease
Hampel H, Caraci F, Cuello AC, Caruso G, Nisticò R, Corbo M, Baldacci F, Toschi N et al.. Frontiers in immunology, 2020-03-31
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Neuroinflammation commences decades before Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical onset and represents one of the earliest pathomechanistic alterations throughout the AD continuum. Large-scale genome-wide association studies point out several genetic variants- TREM2, CD33, PILRA, CR1, MS4A, CLU, ABCA7, EPHA1 , and HLA-DRB5-HLA-DRB1 -potentially linked to neuroinflammation. Most of these genes are involved in proinflammatory intracellular signaling, cytokines/interleukins/cell turnover, synaptic activity, lipid metabolism, and vesicle trafficking.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Hampel, H., Caraci, F., Cuello, A. C., Caruso, G., Nisticò, R., Corbo, M., et al. (2020). A Path Toward Precision Medicine for Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease. Frontiers in immunology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00456
Vancouver
Hampel H, Caraci F, Cuello AC, Caruso G, Nisticò R, Corbo M, et al. A Path Toward Precision Medicine for Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease. Frontiers in immunology. 2020. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.00456. PMID: 32296418.
BibTeX
@article{hampel2020-32296418,
author = {Hampel, H. and Caraci, F. and Cuello, A. C. and Caruso, G. and Nisticò, R. and Corbo, M. and Baldacci, F. and Toschi, N. and others},
title = {{A Path Toward Precision Medicine for Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease}},
journal = {Frontiers in immunology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2020.00456},
pmid = {32296418},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00456}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Large-scale genome-wide association studies point out several genetic variants- TREM2, CD33, PILRA, CR1, MS4A, CLU, ABCA7, EPHA1 , and HLA-DRB5-HLA-DRB1 -potentially linked to neuroinflammation.
- Most of these genes are involved in proinflammatory intracellular signaling, cytokines/interleukins/cell turnover, synaptic activity, lipid metabolism, and vesicle trafficking.
- Proteomic studies indicate that a plethora of interconnected aberrant molecular pathways, set off and perpetuated by TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-1β, and the receptor protein TREM2, are involved in neuroinflammation.
- Microglia and astrocytes are key cellular drivers and regulators of neuroinflammation.
Why it matters
This review brings together earlier gene and protein studies on brain inflammation in Alzheimer's disease. It lists genes found in large genetic studies (TREM2, CD33, CR1, CLU, ABCA7 and others) that are "potentially linked" to inflammation, and it names microglia and astrocytes as "key cellular drivers and regulators" of that process. It is a map for future research toward tailored treatment: it reports no new data, no patients and no treatment result, and it does not show that these genes cause the disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Genetics →
Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 72/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in immunology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Frontiers in Immunology: journal h-index 352 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 356 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 44.5 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 17 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 145 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Simone Lista: h-index 57 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 27 institution(s) in 6 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32296418) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 72 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00456
- PubMed: 32296418
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Immunology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 55.
Later studies that cite this one
17 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references. Showing the 8 highest-scoring.
Related studies in TREM2 and immune genetics
Also in TREM2 and immune genetics
79 studies in the library are filed under TREM2 and immune genetics with no topic tag they share with another; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed tour of them. The TREM2 and immune genetics hub.