A new study carried out by the Sant Pau Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain, reveals that there may be a new genetic form of Alzheimer’s. The research was published this Monday in the journal Nature Medicine.
They found that more than 95% of people over the age of 65 who have two copies of the APOE4 gene show biological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease. They explain that they also end up developing the disease earlier than those who have other variants of the gene.
They therefore suggest that having two copies of this gene could represent a new genetic form of the disease. “This gene has been known for more than 30 years and was associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease,” explains Juan Fortea, one of those responsible for the study.
“Now we know that practically all people who have this gene duplicated develop the biology of Alzheimer’s disease. This is important because they represent between 2 and 3% of the population,” he continues.
“The data clearly show that having two copies of the APOE4 gene not only increases the risk, but also anticipates the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, reinforcing the need for specific preventive strategies,” explains Alberto Lleó, a researcher at the Sant Pau institute.
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