Linking white matter biology to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease
The brain’s white matter consists mainly of myelinated axons and acts as the brain’s communication network, sending signals to various regions of the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), changes in white matter are increasingly recognised as key drivers of cognitive decline. MRI scans can measure alterations in the structure of white matter, but the underlying biological processes are still poorly understood. With support from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the WHY-AD project aims to identify the biological pathways that cause white matter dysfunction. In this context, researchers are integrating MRI data with genetics and proteomics across cohorts spanning the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum. The project is developing data-driven models of disease progression and testing them in clinical settings for the diagnosis and prognosis of AD.