Have you seen my glasses?
Where did I put my keys?
You look familiar…what’s your name again?
Sound familiar? As grandparents, it’s natural for people our age to have occasional “senior moments.” It’s normal. Forgetfulness may not mean that you have or are getting Alzheimer’s Disease. But…it’s good to know scientists seem to be making headway on identifying the cause of it.
In international analyses of more than 50,000 people, two of the largest studies to date have reportedly identified five additional genes linked to Alzheimer’s, doubling the number of genes believed to contribute to the disease that is most prominent in the senior adult population. This new information provides additional clues as to what may trigger Alzheimer’s Disease and fuel its progress in the brain.
So far, it is known that the genes that increase Alzheimer’s risk in the elderly seem to be involved with cholesterol and brain inflammation and possibly transporting molecules inside cells. People with high cholesterol are more likely to get Alzheimer’s Disease and blows to the head, strokes, and head injuries which cause briai inflammation also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Scientists don’t yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer’s. However, the more they learn about it, the more they realize that genes play an important role in the development of this devastating disease.
While the study is extensive and advances the knowledge of Alzheimer’s, the contribution of any one of these newly identified genes is so small that none may be used alone to predict or determine proclivity of Alzheimer’s. The APOE gene remains the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. The newly identified genes may serve to point researchers to new ideas for the causes and/or mechanisms underlying this devastating and fatal disease.
The studies were done in part by the International Genomics of Alzheimer’s Project (IGAP) — a collaboration formed to discover and map the genes that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. IGAP, spanning universities from both Europe and the United States, combines the knowledge, staff and resources of four consortia that conduct research on Alzheimer’s disease genetics.
One study by U.S. researchers analyzed the genes of 54,000 people, some with Alzheimer’s and others of the same age without the disease, and found four new genes. The other study, from mostly European scientists, confirmed the U.S. research and added an additional gene. The studies also confirmed the previous Alzheimer’s genes, making 10 genes associated with Alzheimer’s in the elderly.
The Alzheimer's Association also partners with the National Institute on Aging on the National Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Study, a federal initiative to collect and bank blood samples from families with several members who developed Alzheimer's disease late in life. The goal is to identify additional Alzheimer’s risk genes.
You may be interested in reading more about Alzheimer’s Disease:
Alzheimer's...not just for closets anymoreJanuary 26 is Alzheimer's Awareness DayTop 10 things you can do which may cut your risk of Alzheimer's
2011 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report
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