Titles
- Alexa and William T. Dillard Professor and Vice Chairman of Research Donald W. Reynolds Dept of Geriatrics, UAMS
- Director of Research, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VAMC/CAVHS
- Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Neuroinflammation
Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Physiology, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry
Office
Reynolds Center on Aging, Room 3103.
Slot #807
UAMS Dept. of Geriatrics
Major Interests
Molecular Biology of Alzheimer’s Disease
Research Interests
Dr. Griffin focuses on the mechanisms involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Down Syndrome, head trauma, and epilepsy. Recently, Dr. Griffin has discovered a link between the presence of an immune response-generated cytokine, interleukin-1 (IL-1), and the increased probability of onset of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as a link between IL-1 and increase in the production of proteins associated with amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and Lewy bodies, characteristics of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. This is seen as a significant breakthrough in the early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s, and it has drawn nationwide acclaim for Dr. Griffin, the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, and UAMS.
Highlighted Publications
- Griffin WST 2011 What causes Alzheimer’s – Exposing the life and work of a visionary The Scientist Daily September 1, 2011.
- Liu L, Aboud O, Jones RA, Mrak RE, Griffin ST, Barger SW. 2011 Apolipoprotein E expression is elevated by interleukin 1 and other interleukin 1-induced factors. J Neuroinflammation 8:175
- Smith C, Gentleman SM, Leclercq PD, Murray LS, Griffin WS, Graham DI, Nicoll JA. 2012 The neuroinflammatory response in humans after traumatic brain injury. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 39(6):654-66
- Aboud O, Mrak RE, Boop, FA, Griffin WST. 2012 Apolipoprotein epsilon 3 alleles are associated with indicators of neuronal resilience. BMC Medicine 10:35
- Griffin WST. 2013 Neuroinflammatory cytokine signaling and Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med. 2013 Feb 21;368(8):770-1
- Aboud O, Mrak RE, Boop FA, Griffin WST. 2013 Epilepsy: neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and APOE genotype. Acta Neuropathol Communications, 1:41 (29 July 2013)
- Wilcock DM, Griffin WST. 2013 Down’s syndrome, neuroinflammation, and Alzheimer neuropathogenesis. J Neuroinflammation. 2013 July 9;10:84.
- Thal DR, von Arnim C, Griffin WS, Yamaguchi H, Mrak RE, Attems J, Rijal Upadhaya A. 2013 Pathology of clinical and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. Nov;263, Suppl 2:S137-145
- Pey P, Pearce RK, Kalaitzakis ME, Griffin WS, Gentleman SM. Phenotypic profile of alternative activation marker CD163 is different in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2014 Feb 14;2(1):21
- Loss of angiotensin II receptor expression in dopamine neurons in Parkinson’s disease correlates with pathological progression and is accompanied by increases in Nox4- and 8-OH guanosine-related nucleic acid oxidation and caspase-3 activation. Zawada W, Mrak RE, Biedermann J, Palmer QD, Gentleman SM, Aboud O, Griffin WS. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2015 Feb 3;3(1):9.
- Aboud O, Parcon PA, DeWall KM, Liu L, Mrak RE, Griffin WS. Aging, Alzheimer’s, and APOE genotype influence the expression and neuronal distribution patterns of microtubule motor protein dynactin-P50. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. Mar 9, 2015.