2024-05-08 16:39:21
Research results have emerged overseas showing that people with certain genes develop Alzheimer’s type dementia.
On the 6th (local time), a research team led by Dr. Juan Portea of the University of Barcelona published a paper in the international academic journal ‘More than 95% of people over 65 years of age who have two copies of the APOE4 gene homozygous’ gene showing signs of Alzheimer’s. It was published in ‘Nature Medicine’.
Having two copies of APOE4 means having an APOE4 homozygote. A homozygote means an individual who has the same allele for a specific trait. Having APOE4 homozygosity means that when inheriting the gene called APOE, you inherited the APOE mutation, APOE4, from both your mother and father.
The research team evaluated changes in clinical and pathological biomarkers of APOE4 homozygotes in data from 3,297 brain donors from the U.S. National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center and more than 10,000 cohort study subjects in Europe and the United States.
As a result, people with APOE4 homozygosity had higher levels of Alzheimer’s disease-related biomarkers than people with APOE3 at age 55. In addition, more than 95% of 65-year-olds with APOE4 homozygosity were found to have abnormal amyloid levels in cerebrospinal fluid, a hallmark of the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease.
It has been known for decades that people who are homozygous for the APOE4 gene have a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s, but this is the first time that a definitive claim that they will ‘definitely get it’ has been made. Additionally, the paper considers Alzheimer’s to be a ‘genetic disease.’
If a pair of APOE genes consists of a combination of APOE2 or APOE3, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s is lowered. However, if you inherit APOE4 from either your mother or father, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia increases.
This study confirmed that those who inherit APOE4 from both their mother and father will most likely develop Alzheimer’s.
The research team said, “APOE4 is considered the most risky genetic factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Research on APOE4 is very important because 2 to 3% of the population has two copies of APOE4.”
He added, “Previously, the etiology of dementia could only be confirmed in less than 1% of cases,” adding, “With this study, we can now identify the causative factor of dementia in more than 15% of cases.”
It was also explained that in order to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, it is necessary to check for APOE4 homozygosity when young. He also argued that monitoring people with the genetic trait of having two copies of APOE4 could lead to individualized prevention and treatment strategies.
However, some in the academic world criticized this claim as being radical. Professor David Curtis, from UCL’s Institute of Genetics, said in a statement: “We have not found any evidence to justify the claim that Alzheimer’s disease is genetically expressed in those homozygous for the APOE4 gene.”
He claimed, “Regardless of whether APOE4 is homozygous or not, the process of developing underlying diseases in Alzheimer’s patients is mostly similar.”
Choi Jae-ho, Donga.com reporter [email protected]
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2024-05-08 16:39:21