title: Role of neurodevelopment involved genes in psychiatric comorbidities and modulation of inflammatory processes in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: With the increase of the population's average age, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is becoming one of the most disabling diseases worldwide. Recently, neurodevelopment processes have been involved in the AD etiopathogenesis. Genetic studies in this field could contribute to our knowledge and suggest new molecular targets for possible treatments.
  
  
  
  Our primary aim was to investigate the associations among single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within neurodevelopment related genes (BDNF, ST8SIA2, C15orf32, NCAPG2, ESYT2, WDR60, LOC154822, VIPR2, GSK3B, NR1I2, ZNF804A, SP4) and AD. A number of exploratory analyses was also performed to evaluate the associations with the presence of behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD), as well as with variations in hematological parameters. Two independent samples were investigated, one of 228 Greek subjects and one sample of 229 Italian subjects, including 156Alzheimer's Disease patients CE patients and 301 healthy controls. All patients were affected by late onset AD (LOAD).
  
  
  
  None of the analyzed SNPs was associated with AD in our samples. In the exploratory analyses, several genetic variants were associated with inflammation parameters in the Greek sample and in the merged one, suggesting a relationship among these genes and the modulation of inflammation and the immune response. Other exploratory analyses showed associations among several SNPs and psychiatric symptomatology in the Greek sample, suggesting a possible modulation of these variants on psychiatric comorbidities in AD.
  
  
  
  Although we failed to find a direct relationship between AD and the genetic variants investigated, possible connections with inflammation and psychiatric symptoms were suggested.
authors: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Porcelli
authors: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina-, Italy.
authors: Concetta
authors: C
authors: Crisafulli
authors: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina-, Italy.
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Donato
authors: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina-, Italy.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Calabrò
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Antonis
authors: A
authors: Politis
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Liappas
authors: IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Department of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.
authors: Diego
authors: D
authors: Albani
authors: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Anna Rita
authors: AR
authors: Atti
authors: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Raffaele
authors: R
authors: Salfi
authors: IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Department of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.
authors: Ilaria
authors: I
authors: Raimondi
authors: IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Department of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.
authors: Gianluigi
authors: G
authors: Forloni
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: George N
authors: GN
authors: Papadimitriou
authors: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: De Ronchi
authors: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: alessandro.serretti@unibo.it.
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Serretti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Depression; Genetics; Inflammation; Neurodevelopment; Psychosis