Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and the University of Washington have published a study linking genome folding to gene activity and brain tissue organization in Alzheimer's disease. The findings, based on analysis of postmortem brain tissue, suggest that changes in how DNA is folded within cells may influence the expression of genes associated with the disease.
The study, led by Dr. Jian Ma of Carnegie Mellon, used advanced computational methods to map the 3D structure of the genome in brain cells from Alzheimer's patients and healthy controls. They found that in Alzheimer's brains, certain regions of DNA were folded differently, leading to altered activity of genes involved in neuronal function and immune response. This could point to new directions for treatment, the researchers said.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease affects more than 6 million Americans. The study was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience on July 20, 2026. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
