A familial Alzheimer's disease associated mutation in presenilin-1 mediates amyloid-beta independent cell specific neurodegeneration.

Mutations in the presenilin (PS) genes are a predominant cause of familial Alzheimer's disease (fAD). An ortholog of PS in the genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is sel-12.

The contribution of neurogenetics to understanding neurodegenerative diseases.

Since was first introduced as a genetic model organism by Sydney Brenner, researchers studying it have made significant contributions in numerous fields including investigations of the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. The simple anatomy, optical transparency, and short life-span of this small nematode together with the development and curation of many openly shared resources (including the entire genome, cell lineage and the neural map of the animal) allow researchers using to move their research forward rapidly in an immensely collaborative community. These resources have allowed researchers to use to study the cellular processes that may underlie human diseases.