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Proteomics reveals three molecular subtypes of Alzheimer's disease with distinct progression patterns
Xiao-He Hou, Wei Zhang, Kairan Kang, Yifei Jin, Peng Ren, Linbo Wang, Zeyu Li, Yuzhu Li et al.. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2026-02
Topic: Genetics and APOE
Three AD subtypes were identified. Subtype 1, enriched in RNA metabolism pathways, showed the mildest atrophy and slowest cognitive decline. Subtype 2, characterized by axonogenesis-related pathways, exhibited the greatest CSF tau elevations, moderate atrophy, and intermediate decline. Subtype 3, associated with catabolic processes, showed the most severe atrophy and fastest progression. These patterns were consistently replicated across validation cohorts. These findings demonstrate robust, biologically distinct AD subtypes linked to divergent molecular pathways, clinical features, and progression rates. Such refined stratification supports precision diagnostics and targeted therapeutic strategies.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Hou, X.-H., Zhang, W., Kang, K., Jin, Y., Ren, P., Wang, L., et al. (2026). Proteomics reveals three molecular subtypes of Alzheimer's disease with distinct progression patterns. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71106
Vancouver
Hou X.-H, Zhang W, Kang K, Jin Y, Ren P, Wang L, et al. Proteomics reveals three molecular subtypes of Alzheimer's disease with distinct progression patterns. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2026. doi:10.1002/alz.71106. PMID: 41650025.
BibTeX
@article{hou2026-41650025,
author = {Hou, Xiao-He and Zhang, Wei and Kang, Kairan and Jin, Yifei and Ren, Peng and Wang, Linbo and Li, Zeyu and Li, Yuzhu and others},
title = {{Proteomics reveals three molecular subtypes of Alzheimer's disease with distinct progression patterns}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1002/alz.71106},
pmid = {41650025},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71106}
}
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Key findings
- Subtype 1, enriched in RNA metabolism pathways, showed the mildest atrophy and slowest cognitive decline.
- Subtype 2, characterized by axonogenesis-related pathways, exhibited the greatest CSF tau elevations, moderate atrophy, and intermediate decline.
- Subtype 3, associated with catabolic processes, showed the most severe atrophy and fastest progression.
- These patterns were consistently replicated across validation cohorts.
- These findings demonstrate robust, biologically distinct AD subtypes linked to divergent molecular pathways, clinical features, and progression rates.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants550
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 73/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomized / 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, multicenter collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 41 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 73 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 550 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization 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 |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41650025) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 41 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 41 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 73 out of 100. |
| Total | 73 / 100 | — |
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