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 Donation

Only a really small group of families actually has a fault in this chromosome.

In the end, the woman died and Dr. 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. Hallucinations and delusions are not uncommon when the disease has progressed a ways.

It is the loss of nerve cells and brain tissue that causes the brain to shrink.
Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger that is used by the body for the purpose of memory and judgment. Right after an Alzheimers patient's death is when the caregiver is going to need the most support. When discovering that you have Alzheimers it is important to find out what available Alzheimers treatment there is.

The Alzheimers disease assessment scale is also used to determine the stage of the disease the person appears to be suffering.
Namenda Namenda is a drug that works differently than other Alzheimer medications. With many patients, there may appear to be no change over the course of several weeks or months and then they will undergo a sudden downslide. They are descendants of German immigrants who came from the Volga River Valley. Either the cost of help is too great or finding the information you need is hard to track down. This disease affects people who are middle-aged and older.