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TREM2-Dependent Effects on Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease
Zhou Y, Ulland TK, Colonna M.. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 2018-07-09
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a late-onset dementia characterized by the deposition of amyloid plaques and formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) which lead to neuronal loss and cognitive deficits. Abnormal protein aggregates in the AD brain are also associated with reactive microglia and astrocytes. Whether this glial response is beneficial or detrimental in AD pathology is under debate.
Key findings
- Abnormal protein aggregates in the AD brain are also associated with reactive microglia and astrocytes.
- Whether this glial response is beneficial or detrimental in AD pathology is under debate.
- Microglia are the resident innate immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) that survey the surrounding environment.
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified the R47H variant of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell 2 (TREM2) as a risk factor for late-onset AD (LOAD) with an odds ratio of 4.5.
Why it matters
This review discusses how TREM2 affects microglia in Alzheimer's disease and notes that whether the glial response is helpful or harmful is still debated. As a review, it summarizes existing research and does not itself show that any treatment prevents or cures Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Genetics →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
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 (Frontiers in aging neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience: journal h-index 174 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 85 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.5 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.7× 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 22 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Marco Colonna: h-index 172 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (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 30038567) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00202
- PubMed: 30038567
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience →
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Zhou, Y., Ulland, T. K., & Colonna, M. (2018). TREM2-Dependent Effects on Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease. Frontiers in aging neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00202
Vancouver
Zhou Y, Ulland TK, Colonna M. TREM2-Dependent Effects on Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease. Frontiers in aging neuroscience. 2018. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2018.00202. PMID: 30038567.
BibTeX
@article{zhou2018-30038567,
author = {Zhou, Y. and Ulland, T. K. and Colonna, M.},
title = {{TREM2-Dependent Effects on Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease}},
journal = {Frontiers in aging neuroscience},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.3389/fnagi.2018.00202},
pmid = {30038567},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00202}
}
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