04.04.11
Gene research boosts Alzheimer’s treatment hopes
An international team of researchers have identified five more genes which increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
The genes affect the way the body deals with fat and cholesterol, the immune system, and the way brain cells process large molecules.
Cardiff University ’s Professor Julie Williams, who led the international study, told the BBC: “What I find exciting is that we have found specific gene processes, we now have precise targets to identify treatments.”
But treatments stemming directly from the findings could still be 15 years away, the scientists warned.
Alzheimer’s Research UK called the discovery, published in the journal Nature Genetics, “a step towards defeating dementia”.
Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: “These two robust studies mark an exciting development for scientists hoping to identify a cause and find a cure for Alzheimer's disease.
“Although these studies will not bring us any closer to being able to predict who might be at greater risk of developing Alzheimer's, they will give scientists clues as to how Alzheimer's might develop, most importantly their identification could also lead to the development of new drug treatments in the longer term.”
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