Michael G. Heckman

Identification of common variants influencing risk of the three-repeat tauopathy Pick's disease: a genome wide association study.

This study conducts a GWAS on Pick's disease and identifies two SNPs associated with risk, though not at genome-wide significance, suggesting potential genetic factors beyond MAPT mutations.

Nomination of a novel plasma protein biomarker panel capable of classifying Alzheimer's disease dementia with high accuracy in an African American cohort

The UFMylation pathway is impaired in Alzheimer's disease

This study investigates changes in the UFMylation pathway in Alzheimer's disease brains, finding increased UFM1 conjugation and associations with pathological tau.

miRNA family miR-29 inhibits PINK1-PRKN dependent mitophagy via ATG9A

The paper identifies miR-29 and ATG9A as regulators of mitophagy and discovers EOPD-linked variants in ATG9A.

Genome-wide association study of brain biochemical phenotypes reveals distinct genetic architecture of Alzheimer's Disease related proteins

This study performs a genome-wide association study of brain biochemical phenotypes in Alzheimer's patients, identifying novel genetic loci and highlighting distinct genetic architectures for AD-related proteins.

Single Nuclei Transcriptome Reveals Perturbed Brain Vascular Molecules in Alzheimer's Disease

The paper uses single nucleus RNA sequencing to analyze brain vascular cells in Alzheimer's disease, identifying molecular changes and interactions between vascular and astrocytic cells at the blood-brain barrier.

Associations of Mitochondrial Genomic Variation with Corticobasal Degeneration, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and Neuropathological Tau Measures

This study investigates associations between mitochondrial genomic variation and risk of Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), as well as tau pathology measures in PSP.

APOE2 promotes longevity independent of Alzheimer's disease

This study shows APOE2 is linked to longer lifespan regardless of Alzheimer's disease, with preserved activity and lipid metabolism playing a role.

Heritability and genetic variance of dementia with Lewy bodies

This study estimates the heritability of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and finds it to be higher than previous estimates, with low variance explained by polygenic risk scores from Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease.

Parkinson-associated SNCA enhancer variants revealed by open chromatin in mouse dopamine neurons

The paper identifies Parkinson's risk variants in a SNCA enhancer by analyzing open chromatin in mouse dopamine neurons and validates their function in zebrafish and mice.