NEW
LATE ONSET GENE DISCOVERED
Courtesy:
Alzheimer's Association - N. Nevada/N. California Chapter
In a study published in Nature Genetics, and international team of
researchers identified a gene called SORL1 as strongly associated with risk for
the most common type of Alzheimer's (late onset sporadic disease) in populations
of several ethnic groups.
The researchers looked at 29 different "variations" in small
sections on the SORL1 gene in a total of about 6,000 people.
They identified two regions on the gene that showed strong association
with increased risk of Alzheimer's in six of nine different ethnic populations
represented in the study.
Families studied for this research were unusual in that there was a high
volume of Alzheimer's in the populations. We
need to do this research in random populations that have a more typical
prevalence of Alzheimer's before we'll know how many Alzheimer's cases are a
result of this gene. That said,
this is the first gene strongly associated with late onset Alzheimer's in many
years. However, it is unlikely that this discovery will generate a
test that will be available to physicians or consumers. "Teasing out" the specific impact of one gene is
very difficult. Alzheimer's
involves multiple genes, not just a single "yes or no" gene trigger.
Plus, there are environmental/lifestyle risk factors.
And, there may be other genes, and also environmental elements, that
affect the expression of SORL1.
Every new step of the disease pathway that we understand gives us more
targets for therapies.
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"Let us take care of the children,
for they have a long way to go. Let us take care of the
elders, for they have come a long way. Let us take care of
those in between, for they are doing the work."
~African
Proverb
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