Aitia’s Senior VP of Precision Medicine, Jeanne Latourelle,at the Alzheimer’s Association® International Conference (AAIC 2025) in Toronto, presented Aitia’s latest research aimed at identifying and validating causal biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. Using causal AI and Gemini Digital Twins to analyze blood metabolites and their association with cognitive decline, brain imaging and biomarkers, the research identified markers that actively contribute to disease progression vs. those that correlate with it, but which can serve as indicators of changes underway.
Key findings:
1. The research highlights the central role of tau pathology, hippocampal atrophy and glucose metabolism disruption in driving metabolic changes in Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Some metabolites like isoleucine act as causal drivers of cognitive decline and brain degeneration, while others like tryptophan respond to disease progression.
3. Several metabolites appear to function as intermediates between known Alzheimer’s mechanisms and later cognitive decline, potentially providing opportunities for early treatment monitoring.
The work demonstrates how Gemini Digital Twins can reveal cause-and-effect relationships that traditional research methods might miss, moving us closer to more precise approaches for understanding Alzheimer’s disease progression and potential therapeutic approaches.
View the poster here: Causal metabolomics for Alzheimer’s identified using Gemini Digital Twins