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47/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 47 out of 100. Risk genes beyond APOE

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Locus ceruleus (LC) degeneration and loss of cortical noradrenergic innervation occur early in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although this has been known for several decades, the contribution of LC degeneration to AD pathogenesis remains unclear. We induced LC degeneration with N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-bromo-benzylamine (dsp4) in amyloid precursor protein 23 (APP23) transgenic mice with a low amyloid load.

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APA 7th

Heneka, M. T., Ramanathan, M., Jacobs, A. H., Dumitrescu-Ozimek, L., Bilkei-Gorzo, A., Debeir, T., et al. (2006). Locus ceruleus degeneration promotes Alzheimer pathogenesis in amyloid precursor protein 23 transgenic mice. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.4236-05.2006

Vancouver

Heneka MT, Ramanathan M, Jacobs AH, Dumitrescu-Ozimek L, Bilkei-Gorzo A, Debeir T, et al. Locus ceruleus degeneration promotes Alzheimer pathogenesis in amyloid precursor protein 23 transgenic mice. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2006. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.4236-05.2006. PMID: 16452658.

BibTeX

@article{heneka2006-16452658,
  author  = {Heneka, M. T. and Ramanathan, M. and Jacobs, A. H. and Dumitrescu-Ozimek, L. and Bilkei-Gorzo, A. and Debeir, T. and Sastre, M. and Galldiks, N. and others},
  title   = {{Locus ceruleus degeneration promotes Alzheimer pathogenesis in amyloid precursor protein 23 transgenic mice}},
  journal = {The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience},
  year    = {2006},
  doi     = {10.1523/jneurosci.4236-05.2006},
  pmid    = {16452658},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.4236-05.2006}
}

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Key findings

Although this has been known for several decades, the contribution of LC degeneration to AD pathogenesis remains unclear.
We induced LC degeneration with N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-bromo-benzylamine (dsp4) in amyloid precursor protein 23 (APP23) transgenic mice with a low amyloid load.
Then 6 months later the LC projection areas showed a robust elevation of glial inflammation along with augmented amyloid plaque deposits.
Moreover, neurodegeneration and neuronal loss significantly increased.

Why it matters

In APP23 transgenic mice, damaging the locus ceruleus led six months later to more glial inflammation, more amyloid plaques, and greater neurodegeneration and neuronal loss. This is animal evidence that locus ceruleus degeneration may contribute to Alzheimer's progression, not a proven treatment for people.

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Study details

Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 47/100

Published in a peer-reviewed 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	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience)
Journal's citation record	4 / 4	Journal of Neuroscience: journal h-index 651 (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	2006 — 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 “transgenic”) — scores zero
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	6 / 7	Cited 304 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	13.8 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 6.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	2 / 6	Cited by 5 other studies in this library
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 35 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	3 / 4	Last-listed author Matthias Staufenbiel: h-index 95 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	Max Planck Society: institution h-index 1,183 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 2 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16452658)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	47 / 100	—

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