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Genetic evidence implicates the immune system and cholesterol metabolism in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease
Jones L, Holmans PA, Hamshere ML, Harold D, Moskvina V, Ivanov D, Pocklington A, Abraham R et al.. PloS one, 2010-11-15
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background Late Onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) is the leading cause of dementia. Recent large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified the first strongly supported LOAD susceptibility genes since the discovery of the involvement of APOE in the early 1990s. We have now exploited these GWAS datasets to uncover key LOAD pathophysiological processes.
Key findings
- Recent large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified the first strongly supported LOAD susceptibility genes since the discovery of the involvement of APOE in the early 1990s.
- We have now exploited these GWAS datasets to uncover key LOAD pathophysiological processes.
- Methodology We applied a recently developed tool for mining GWAS data for biologically meaningful information to a LOAD GWAS dataset.
- The principal findings were then tested in an independent GWAS dataset.
Why it matters
This study used genome-wide association data to point to the immune system and cholesterol metabolism as processes involved in late-onset Alzheimer's disease. It identifies biological pathways rather than testing any treatment, cure, or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 56/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (PloS one) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | PLoS ONE: journal h-index 594 (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 | 2010 — within 20 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 608 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 33.8 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 27.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 23 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 48 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Julie H. Williams: h-index 82 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | National Institutes of Health: institution h-index 2,723 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 43 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21085570) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 56 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Jones, L., Holmans, P. A., Hamshere, M. L., Harold, D., Moskvina, V., Ivanov, D., et al. (2010). Genetic evidence implicates the immune system and cholesterol metabolism in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0013950
Vancouver
Jones L, Holmans PA, Hamshere ML, Harold D, Moskvina V, Ivanov D, et al. Genetic evidence implicates the immune system and cholesterol metabolism in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease. PloS one. 2010. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013950. PMID: 21085570.
BibTeX
@article{jones2010-21085570,
author = {Jones, L. and Holmans, P. A. and Hamshere, M. L. and Harold, D. and Moskvina, V. and Ivanov, D. and Pocklington, A. and Abraham, R. and others},
title = {{Genetic evidence implicates the immune system and cholesterol metabolism in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {PloS one},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0013950},
pmid = {21085570},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0013950}
}
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