SWI/SNF complexes have demonstrated functions in differentiated cells. These complexes are required in differentiated neurons for dendritic outgrowth, synaptic plasticity, and memory (Vogel-Ciernia et al., 2013, Olave et al., 2002, Wu et al., 2007, Staahl et al., 2013). Of particular interest in this study was our finding that allelic variation in SS18L1 is associated with AD. SS18L1 encodes CREST, which is found specifically in SWI/SNF complexes biochemically purified from differentiated neurons (Fig. 1; Staahl et al., 2013), and is required for dendritic outgrowth (Aizawa et al., 2004). Together, these data suggest that the SWI/SNF complex members identified in our association studies have a clear potential to influence important biological events underlying behavioral problems and the development of AD, because they are functional during both adolescence and adulthood at the place and time during which relevant events would be expected to occur with disease progression.
