We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease Through Neurodevelopment: Insights from Human Cerebral Organoids
Summary
Scientists are using lab-grown "mini-brains" made from stem cells of Alzheimer's patients to study how the disease might actually start during brain development, not just in old age. This research summary shows that problems forming in the brain early in life could make brain cells more likely to develop Alzheimer's later. Understanding this connection could help doctors find new ways to detect and treat Alzheimer's before symptoms appear.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia, for which there is currently no cure. The causes of AD are still not well understood, although 5% of cases are known to have a genetic origin, associated with pathogenic genetic variants of the APP and PSEN1/2 genes. There is growing evidence that both APP and PSEN1/2 are also essential for proper human brain development and neural/neuronal function. This implies that abnormalities in early brain development could increase neuronal vulnerability to AD later in life. Human cerebral organoids (hCOs), generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from AD patients, provide an exceptional model for better understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in human brain development, as well as early neurological alterations in the evolution of AD. This review compiles the main studies in which hCOs are used as a model for studying AD and for the discovery of new biomarkers. We also discuss the advantages and applications of these hCOs for studying the early stages of AD from a neurodevelopmental perspective. Finally, we mention the main current challenges in the use of hCOs for future research into AD.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Human mini-brains for reconstituting central nervous system disorders
This review discussed advances in human brain organoids (mini-brains) for modeling central nervous system disorders, highlighting their potential to overcome limitations of animal models and accelerate drug development for neurological diseases.
Neuropathogenesis-on-chips for neurodegenerative diseases
Researchers reviewed how miniaturized lab-on-a-chip devices that mimic brain tissue are being developed to study neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, offering more realistic models than traditional animal tests. These microfluidic systems, combined with stem cells, could accelerate the discovery of new diagnostics and treatments for conditions that affect millions of people worldwide.
Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on the Biology of Human Neural Stem Cells and Human Cerebral Organoids.
This study investigated the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on human neural stem cells and human cerebral organoids, examining whether nanoplastics that have been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier and placenta can disrupt normal brain development. Given the lack of prior research on nanoplastic effects on the developing brain, the findings carry significant implications for understanding neurodevelopmental risks from early-life plastic exposure.
Organoid-based platforms for investigating microplastic-induced human organ toxicity
This review examines how lab-grown miniature organ models, called organoids, are being used to study the health effects of micro- and nanoplastic exposure on human tissues. Evidence from brain, heart, lung, liver, kidney, and intestinal organoid models shows that plastic particles can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, and impaired tissue development. The technology offers a more realistic way to study plastic toxicity compared to traditional cell culture or animal experiments.
Microplastics exposure affects neural development of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical spheroids
Researchers used lab-grown human brain tissue models to study how polystyrene microplastics affect early brain development. Short-term exposure stimulated cell growth, but longer exposure reduced cell survival and disrupted the expression of genes critical for brain tissue formation. The findings suggest that microplastic exposure could potentially interfere with embryonic brain development in a way that depends on both particle size and concentration.