DNA Methylation in Alzheimer's Disease
Luke Weymouth, Adam R Smith, Katie Lunnon. Current topics in behavioral neurosciences, 2025
Topic: Genetics and APOE
To date, DNA methylation is the best characterized epigenetic modification in Alzheimer's disease. Involving the addition of a methyl group to the fifth carbon of the cytosine pyrimidine base, DNA methylation is generally thought to be associated with the silencing of gene expression. It has been hypothesized that epigenetics may mediate the interaction between genes and the environment in the manifestation of Alzheimer's disease, and therefore studies investigating DNA methylation could elucidate novel disease mechanisms. This chapter comprehensively reviews epigenomic studies, undertaken in human brain tissue and purified brain cell types, focusing on global methylation levels, candidate genes, epigenome wide approaches, and recent meta-analyses. We discuss key differentially methylated genes and pathways that have been highlighted to date, with a discussion on how new technologies and the integration of multiomic data may further advance the field.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Weymouth, L., Smith, A. R., & Lunnon, K. (2025). DNA Methylation in Alzheimer's Disease. Current topics in behavioral neurosciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2024_530
Vancouver
Weymouth L, Smith AR, Lunnon K. DNA Methylation in Alzheimer's Disease. Current topics in behavioral neurosciences. 2025. doi:10.1007/7854_2024_530. PMID: 39455499.
BibTeX
@article{weymouth2025-39455499,
author = {Weymouth, Luke and Smith, Adam R and Lunnon, Katie},
title = {{DNA Methylation in Alzheimer's Disease}},
journal = {Current topics in behavioral neurosciences},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1007/7854_2024_530},
pmid = {39455499},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2024_530}
}
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Key findings
- Involving the addition of a methyl group to the fifth carbon of the cytosine pyrimidine base, DNA methylation is generally thought to be associated with the silencing of gene expression.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 71/100
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. 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 40 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 71 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Current topics in behavioral neurosciences) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| 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 | 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 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| 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 39455499) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 40 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 40 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 71 out of 100. |
| Total | 71 / 100 | — |
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