ARUK 2022 | The role of genetics in synapse ingestion by glial cells in Alzheimer’s disease

Many genes that are risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been shown to be expressed by glial cells in the brain. APOE4 is one of the greatest genetic risk factors for the developments of late-onset AD. Makis Tzioras, PhD, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK, discusses an investigation into the connection between expression of APOE4 and synapse ingestion by microglia and astrocytes. The research found that both microglia and astrocytes in people with the APOE4 genotype were ingesting more synapses than people with the APOE3 genotype. Further research is needed to investigate the effects of other factors on this finding. This interview took place at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference 2022 in Brighton, UK.