Link Between Alcohol Use and Alzheimer's Disease Progression Uncovered

**Scripps Research scientists have discovered a significant link between alcohol use disorder (AUD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) through shared gene expression changes in the brain.** Published in *eNeuro*, the study utilized single cell transcriptomics to analyze gene expression in the brains of 75 Alzheimer's patients and compared it with data from individuals with AUD. The research highlights similar gene expression changes related to inflammation, cell signaling, and cell death in both disorders. This groundbreaking study, led by Pietro Paolo Sanna, MD, and Arpita Joshi, PhD, suggests that alcohol use may accelerate AD progression by affecting molecular pathways common to both conditions. The research builds on previous work showing that excessive alcohol consumption speeds up AD progression in genetically predisposed mice. While highlighting the need for larger gene expression databases for AUD, the study emphasizes considering AUD as a risk factor for Alzheimer's. Co-authored by Federico Manuel Giorgi, the work received funding from the National Institutes of Health.