Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 1, 2025

Mapping Alzheimer's Disease Variants to Their Target Genes Using Computational Analysis of Chromatin Configuration
Published on: January 9, 2020
Common genetic variation influencing human white matter microstructure
Bingxin Zhao1, Tengfei Li2,3, Yue Yang4
1Department of Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
None:
Brain regions communicate with each other through tracts of myelinated axons, commonly referred to as white matter. We identified common genetic variants influencing white matter microstructure using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging of 43,802 individuals. Genome-wide association analysis identified 109 associated loci, 30 of which were detected by tract-specific functional principal components analysis. A number of loci colocalized with brain diseases, such as glioma and stroke. Genetic correlations were observed between white matter microstructure and 57 complex traits and diseases. Common variants associated with white matter microstructure altered the function of regulatory elements in glial cells, particularly oligodendrocytes. This large-scale tract-specific study advances the understanding of the genetic architecture of white matter and its genetic links to a wide spectrum of clinical outcomes.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Comparing Copy Number Variations and SNPs
Copy number variations or CNVs are the structural variations that cover more than 1kb of DNA sequence. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), on the other hand, is a single nucleotide change or a point mutation that is found in more than 1%...
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Genetic Variation
Genes exist in different versions called alleles,...
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
Pleiotropy
Heritability

