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Brain somatic mutations in Alzheimer's disease: linking genetic mosaicism to neurodegeneration
Zuguang Li, Juan Zhang, Zhiqiang Liu, Lu Yu, Chunqing Yang, Luoman Zhang, Zhigao Xiang, Feng Hu et al.. Molecular neurodegeneration, 2025-10-09
Topic: Genetics and APOE
Somatic mutations are DNA sequence changes that occur in non-reproductive cells during an organism's life and are not inherited by offspring. Growing evidence implicates somatic mutations in Alzheimer's disease (AD), linking them to both disease onset and progression. Recent advancements in single-cell sequencing and genome-wide analyses have revealed higher mutation burdens in neurons, particularly in AD-related genes such as Presenilin 1 (PSEN1), Presenilin 2 (PSEN2) and amyloid precursor protein (APP). These mutations, which include single nucleotide variants (SNVs), small insertions and deletions (Indels), structural variations (SVs) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations may disrupt neuronal function and synaptic connectivity. However, some somatic mutations may also serve a neuroprotective role. The underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This review explores the emerging role of somatic mutations in AD, highlighting their links to disease progression. It also underscores the potential for future research to uncover new therapeutic targets by integrating advanced sequencing technologies and gene-editing approaches, which may enable more precise interventions to correct somatic mutations and slow disease progression.
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APA 7th
Li, Z., Zhang, J., Liu, Z., Yu, L., Yang, C., Zhang, L., et al. (2025). Brain somatic mutations in Alzheimer's disease: linking genetic mosaicism to neurodegeneration. Molecular neurodegeneration. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13024-025-00895-0
Vancouver
Li Z, Zhang J, Liu Z, Yu L, Yang C, Zhang L, et al. Brain somatic mutations in Alzheimer's disease: linking genetic mosaicism to neurodegeneration. Molecular neurodegeneration. 2025. doi:10.1186/s13024-025-00895-0. PMID: 41068782.
BibTeX
@article{li2025-41068782,
author = {Li, Zuguang and Zhang, Juan and Liu, Zhiqiang and Yu, Lu and Yang, Chunqing and Zhang, Luoman and Xiang, Zhigao and Hu, Feng and others},
title = {{Brain somatic mutations in Alzheimer's disease: linking genetic mosaicism to neurodegeneration}},
journal = {Molecular neurodegeneration},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1186/s13024-025-00895-0},
pmid = {41068782},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s13024-025-00895-0}
}
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Key findings
- Recent advancements in single-cell sequencing and genome-wide analyses have revealed higher mutation burdens in neurons, particularly in AD-related genes such as Presenilin 1 (PSEN1), Presenilin 2 (PSEN2) and amyloid precursor protein (APP).
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 24 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 43 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Molecular neurodegeneration) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41068782) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 24 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 24 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 43 out of 100. |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
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