Clyne Discusses Gene-Exercise Connection in Alzheimer’s Research on Podcast

Clyne Discusses Gene-Exercise Connection in Alzheimer’s Research on Podcast

Clyne Discusses Gene-Exercise Connection in Alzheimer’s Research on Podcast

Exercise is widely recommended to protect brain health, but a new study from the University of Maryland suggests its benefits may hinge on genetics. Published in eBioMedicine and featured in a recent podcast, research led by Fischell Department of Bioengineering Professor and Fischell Fellow Alisa Clyne and recent Ph.D. graduate Callie Weber shows that the APOE4 gene—the most significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s—disrupts blood-brain barrier function and metabolism in ways that may limit exercise’s protective effects.

In a new episode of eBioMedicine’s “In conversation with” podcast, Clyne and Weber break down their findings and explore why understanding individual risk factors, like carrying the APOE4 gene, is key to advancing personalized approaches to Alzheimer’s prevention.

Through the podcast, Clyne and Weber discussed the importance of understanding how risk factors like the APOE4 genotype impact the blood-brain barrier and overall brain health. By studying how these factors work, researchers can help us to pinpoint mechanisms of disease, which can then be translated into therapeutic targets to treat Alzheimer’s disease. They also stated on the podcast that exercise may help to improve blood-brain barrier integrity in an APOE genotype-dependent manner, an avenue of research Clyne plans to continue to investigate.

"Sharing our work through public discussions like this is extremely important to make our scientific research more accessible to the public," Professor Clyne added. "While our article was published as open access so anyone can read it, the content may not be digestible for a  general audience.

As part of their broader research efforts, Clyne’s lab is collaborating with Professor in the Brain and Behavior Institute and Associate Chair of the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics Kan Cao to study how aging affects the function of blood vessel cells. 

Clyne emphasizes that their findings don't contradict the established benefits of exercise for brain health but rather highlight the complexity of these biological interactions. Current follow-up studies are investigating how exercise-induced changes in red blood cells might transmit benefits throughout the body.

 

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April 21, 2025


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"Sharing our work through public discussions like this is extremely important to make our scientific research more accessible to the public. While our article was published as open access so anyone can read it, the content may not be digestible for a  general audience."

-Professor Alisa Clyne



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