Data from: Pathways underlying selective neuronal vulnerability in Alzheimer's disease: Contrasting the vulnerable locus coeruleus to the resilient substantia nigra

Identifying factors underlying selective neuronal vulnerability is crucial
for understanding Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. The
Neuromodulatory Subcortical System (NSS) includes nuclei that exhibit
early, but varied vulnerability to tau accumulation and neuronal loss.
This varied vulnerability represents a valuable opportunity to explore the
underlying mechanisms of AD. In this study, we investigated factors
contributing to selective neuronal vulnerability by comparing
transcriptomic profiles of two similar NSS nuclei with differing
vulnerabilities to AD, the locus coeruleus and substantia nigra. Using
paired samples from well-characterized postmortem human tissue from
individuals in early Braak stages and free of comorbid neuropathologic
diagnoses, we identified pathways related to cholesterol homeostasis and
antioxidant pathways response as key potential drivers of vulnerability.