UNITEC, Tegucigalpa, Honduras: Michell Alejandra Barahona Argueta and Her Research

Hello! I’m Michell Barahona, an Industrial Administration and Operations student at the Technological University of Central America (UNITEC) in Honduras, with a strong interest in research, innovation, and social impact. I enjoy getting involved in causes that create meaningful change in communities.

Reviewed Article: Amyloid, Tau, and APOE in Alzheimer’s Disease: Impact on White Matter Tracts by Chandio et al.

Main Argument & Findings:

This article focuses on the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on both specific brain regions and white matter tracts, which serve as pathways connecting different brain areas and facilitating communication. It emphasizes three primary factors implicated in the disease: amyloid plaque accumulation, tau tangle formation, and genetic variations in the APOE gene. The central argument is that these factors are linked to alterations in the brain’s internal connectivity, which may significantly influence the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers analyzed brain imaging data using diffusion MRI, a technique that enables examination of the brain’s microstructure. They employed BUAN tractometry, an advanced analytical method that segments each white matter tract and assesses changes along its full length. This methodology facilitated the detection of localized alterations in 38 brain tracts, while accounting for variables like age, sex, and genetic background.

Using this technique, the researchers found that both amyloid and tau are connected to changes in white matter that can be measured, demonstrating that the brain's communication pathways are damaged structurally. However, tau exhibited more robust and consistent correlations across numerous tracts. The study also found that some imaging measures, like mean diffusivity (MD), were better at finding these microstructural changes than others.

People with the APOE ε4 variant, which is linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, had more microstructural problems in certain white matter tracts than people with the more common ε3 genotype. In contrast, the ε2 variant, which is often linked to  lower risk, was linked to fewer changes.

Importance for Youth:

This information is useful for young people to understand how Alzheimer's disease impacts memory by creating damage inside the brain's neuronal network as a result of factors such as amyloid, tau, and genetics (APOE). Young people whose family members with dementia can understand why their loved ones are acting differently than usual, rather than just forgetting things. As they learn about the disease's gradual development and beginnings, they realize how important it is to raise awareness in order to discover it earlier.

What I Learned: 

I learned that Alzheimer’s disease involves damage in the brain caused by factors such as amyloid, tau, and genetics (APOE). This connects to why people with dementia may have difficulty speaking, understanding others, or showing different behaviors. These changes cause a disruption in how the brain connects and processes information.

Citations: Chandio, B. Q., Villalon-Reina, J. E., Nir, T. M., Thomopoulos, S. I., Feng, Y., Benavidez, S., Jahanshad, N., Harezlak, J., Garyfallidis, E., Thompson, P. M., & Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (2025). Amyloid, Tau, and APOE in Alzheimer's Disease: Impact on White Matter Tracts. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing, 30, 394–411. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789819807024_0029 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michell-alejandra-barahona-835b6a2a6