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The largest genetic study of Alzheimer’s has discovered 42 new genes that influence the risk of Alzheimer’s – more than doubling the total identified from 33 to 75. Experts now plan to investigate in depth their role in the development of dementia to home in on new drug targets. The international team analysed the genomes of more than 100,000 people with Alzheimer’s and compared them with 600,000 healthy individuals.
Dr Rebecca Sims, study co-leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute, told the Daily Express: “We’re really excited. This is such a step change in our understanding of the genes that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.”
The project was carried out across eight countries including the US, Australia and European nations.
The findings, published in the journal Nature Genetics, also provided new evidence that disruption to the immune system may play a role in some dementia cases. Risk genes identified included those affecting cells in the brain called microglia which are responsible for clearing out damaged tissue. It is thought they may become less efficient in some, accelerating the disease.
The team also used the results to devise a genetic risk score to predict how likely patients with cognitive impairment are to develop Alzheimer’s within three years.
Dr Sims said:“If we can identify people we think are going to develop the disease with pretty good accuracy, then early in the disease – or even pre-symptoms – we can target people with different therapeutics to either push back the disease onset or ultimately have a cure.”
The Daily Express is campaigning for the Government to boost dementia research funding with our Time To Deliver Dementia Cash crusade. Despite a 2019 manifesto promise to double spending to £160million per year for a decade, spending has instead fallen to just £75million per year.
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