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Gene-expression profile of the ageing brain in mice
Lee CK, Weindruch R, Prolla TA.. Nature genetics, 2000-07-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Ageing of the brain leads to impairments in cognitive and motor skills, and is the major risk factor for several common neurological disorders such as Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD). Recent studies suggest that normal brain ageing is associated with subtle morphological and functional alterations in specific neuronal circuits, as opposed to large-scale neuronal loss. In fact, ageing of the central nervous system in diverse mammalian species shares many features, such as atrophy of pyramidal neurons, synaptic atrophy, decrease of striatal dopamine receptors, accumulation of fluorescent pigments, cytoskeletal abnormalities, and reactive astrocytes and microglia.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Lee, C. K., Weindruch, R., & Prolla, T. A. (2000). Gene-expression profile of the ageing brain in mice. Nature genetics. https://doi.org/10.1038/77046
Vancouver
Lee CK, Weindruch R, Prolla TA. Gene-expression profile of the ageing brain in mice. Nature genetics. 2000. doi:10.1038/77046. PMID: 10888876.
BibTeX
@article{lee2000-10888876,
author = {Lee, C. K. and Weindruch, R. and Prolla, T. A.},
title = {{Gene-expression profile of the ageing brain in mice}},
journal = {Nature genetics},
year = {2000},
doi = {10.1038/77046},
pmid = {10888876},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/77046}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Recent studies suggest that normal brain ageing is associated with subtle morphological and functional alterations in specific neuronal circuits, as opposed to large-scale neuronal loss.
- In fact, ageing of the central nervous system in diverse mammalian species shares many features, such as atrophy of pyramidal neurons, synaptic atrophy, decrease of striatal dopamine receptors, accumulation of fluorescent pigments, cytoskeletal abnormalities, and reactive astrocytes and microglia.
- To provide the first global analysis of brain ageing at the molecular level, we used oligonucleotide arrays representing 6,347 genes to determine the gene-expression profile of the ageing neocortex and cerebellum in mice.
- Ageing resulted in a gene-expression profile indicative of an inflammatory response, oxidative stress and reduced neurotrophic support in both brain regions.
Why it matters
This study examined gene expression in the ageing mouse brain, noting features such as atrophy of pyramidal neurons, synaptic atrophy, cytoskeletal abnormalities and reactive astrocytes and microglia shared across mammalian species. It concerns normal brain ageing in mice and does not report a treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Nature genetics) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Nature Genetics: journal h-index 776 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| 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 | 1 / 5 | 2000 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “mice”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,056 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 37.7 citations a year over 28 year(s) since 2000 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 21.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 10 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 34 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Tomas A. Prolla: h-index 67 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Wisconsin–Madison: institution h-index 1,518 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10888876) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
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