What is the Alzheimers Gene?


Alzheimers disease has received a lot of attention over the last decade; much of this attention has been directed toward the existence of the Alzheimers Gene. Part of the reason behind this fact is that the cause for the disease has been difficult to pinpoint. In fact, this is because it may not have any one cause at all.

Types of Alzheimers Disease

Alzheimers Disease can be broadly categorized into two distinctive groups. These groups include late-onset Alzheimers disease and Familial Alzheimers Disease (FAD). FAD is characterized by a very early-onset and an extremely high number of family members being affected by it. Late-onset Alzheimers disease is by far the most common form.

The Alzheimers Gene

There are four chromosomes that have been shown to have something to do with the development of Alzheimers. These chromosomes are 1, 14, 19, and 21. A healthy person has a total of 46 chromosomes. These are generally 23 pairs of chromosomes; one of each pair is received from each parent.

There are many genes that have been associated with Alzheimers disease in studies, although a gene that can be labeling the Alzheimers gene does not necessarily exist. The gene that seems to be the most common indicator of late-onset Alzheimers disease is the APOE gene, located on the chromosome number 19. Specifically, when this gene shows the variant APOE4, the person with this trait is more likely to develop Alzheimers disease. This gene does not make their development of Alzheimers certain, only more likely. It seems to predispose individuals toward the disease.

In the early-onset Alzheimers disease FAD, many families that are predisposed to this disease have been shown to have an abnormality on chromosome number 21. They also seem to show more abnormalities on chromosomes 1 and 14 than other patients. This factor has lead doctors to believe that no single gene abnormality may be the cause of either type of Alzheimers disease. In fact, genes may only be a part of the overall picture of this disease.

This particular genetic discovery regarding chromosome number 21 was found interesting by many scientists because chromosome number 21 is also the chromosome involved with Down syndrome. Individuals that are diagnosed with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome number 21 and they generally develop Alzheimer-like brain abnormalities as they grow older. The abnormality of chromosome 21 may be the closest thing to an Alzheimers gene that exists.

Overall, evidence suggests that there is no real Alzheimers gene, rather a large set of genes that work in conjunction with other factors that make Alzheimers disease more likely to strike.

Alzheimers Research

When people ask What is Alzheimers?

Another interesting discovery was that changes in the eye lens may indicate Alzheimers. It is a disease which typically affects people over the age of sixty, although this is not definite, and your risk is higher of developing it if a family member has had the disease. While Alzheimers disease is not curable, there are therapies that can help delay its progression. Much of what constitutes Alzheimers disease diagnosis is eliminating other possible diseases.

This factor has lead doctors to believe that no single gene abnormality may be the cause of either type of Alzheimers disease.
The first step is to realize that your family member may vary from day to day and even hour to hour in what they are able to accomplish. The tenth edition of the conference was not a small team of researchers, but comprised more than five thousand researchers who shared among them some pretty important information as well as resources on treating Alzheimers is it etiology, or pathology. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger that is used by the body for the purpose of memory and judgment. Finding the right Alzheimers treatment for a patient can be a painful journey. What we do know about alzheimers disease which gives clues to the cause is the fact that the disease does not seem to hit until you become elderly.

Researchers are also constantly looking for medications and other treatment options that will slow the progression of the disease and hopefully bring a greater amount of quality time for families as a result.
The most recognized form of alzheimers disease support groups are those that function in local areas, in a brick and mortar environment. Caring for someone with Alzheimers disease is not a simple task and each day can be filled with new challenges as the persons abilities change. They are also better equipped to explain the circumstances and progress of the disease to family members. The symptoms do not appear that obvious, and are sometimes associated with being too busy or just getting older.