Newly-Discovered Gene Variant , Could Help Prevent or Treat , Alzheimer's Disease.
'Newsweek' reports that scientists have uncovered
a genetic variant that has the potential to reduce
the odds of developing Alzheimer's by as much as 70%.
The discovery could reportedly lead to new methods to
effectively treat or prevent the disease which impacts
approximately 5.8 million people in the United States alone.
Some genetic variants have been found to have an
association with an increased likelihood of developing
the disease, while other variants offer protection. .
A team from Columbia University found that
genes involved with the production of fibronectin
play a crucial role in developing Alzheimer's.
Healthy individuals usually only have fibronectin present
in small amounts along their blood-brain barrier, while
those with Alzheimer's have much higher quantities.
It's a classic case of too much
of a good thing. It made us think
that excess fibronectin could be
preventing the clearance of [abnormal
protein clumps] from the brain, Caghan Kizil, co-leader of the study and professor of
neurological sciences at Columbia University's Vagelos
College of Physicians and Surgeons, via 'Newsweek'.
The team believes that methods aimed at reducing
fibronectin could play a crucial role in developing
new treatments and preventative measures. .
Anything that reduces excess
fibronectin should provide some
protection, and a drug that does
this could be a significant step
forward in the fight against
this debilitating condition, Caghan Kizil, co-leader of the study and professor of
neurological sciences at Columbia University's Vagelos
College of Physicians and Surgeons, via 'Newsweek'.
Our findings suggest that...
we may be able to develop new
types of therapies that mimic
the gene's protective effect
to prevent or treat the disease, Caghan Kizil, co-leader of the study and professor of
neurological sciences at Columbia University's Vagelos
College of Physicians and Surgeons, via 'Newsweek'.
The Columbia University team's
findings were published in the
journal 'Acta Neuropathologica.'