MAPT mutations in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s

In this video, recorded at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2018, held in Chicago, IL, Celeste Karch, PhD, of Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, WA, discusses her group’s stem cell models to investigate the effect of MAPT gene mutations. These mutations are associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and prodromal Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. Dr Karch describes her work investigating gene expression profiles in mutant and wild-type MAPT cell models, and the particular pathways that are affected by MAPT mutations. She explains how these pathways can be targeted by drugs that already exist, touching upon her plans for testing these drugs on these cell models in the future.