Nature: cell-type signatures of Alzheimer's disease shared across population groups

A study published in Nature identified cell-type signatures of Alzheimer's disease shared across Latin, white and African American population groups. The research used single-nucleus RNA sequencing and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing to profile brain tissue from 167 individuals. Researchers found microglial, astrocytic and neuronal signatures associated with Alzheimer's disease across all three groups. The study also identified six distinct subgroups of individuals with cognitive impairment that span all populations and are distinguished by molecular signatures not universally present but linked to ante-mortem impairment. The findings underscore how representative sampling can capture both shared signatures and disease heterogeneity in Alzheimer's disease.