BYU researchers find gene mutation predicting Alzheimer's


7 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

PROVO — Researchers at Brigham Young University have played a major role in discovering a new Alzheimer's risk gene.

Scientists from BYU, King's College, London, The National Institutes of Health and Washington University Medical School discovered a rare genetic mutation — TREM2 — that increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Though the causes of the disease are unknown, the finding puts medical researchers and scientists closer to a cure. The research, published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, could lead to diagnostic tests predicting the Alzheimer's between five and 15 years before onset.

Related:

Their research is a huge jump in learning about a gene associated with the immune system that is linked to a higher risk for the disease.

As they work, they are racing against the clock. The number of Alzheimer's cases worldwide will double in the next decade. The costs for a single patient per year are in excess of $100,000.

"It's why we need a solution and certainly this research gets us much closer, gives us the understanding we need to get closer to a cure," Kauwe said.

Their discovery affects only a small percent of the population, but it is a strong indicator in what may be a key player in the disease.

"It's about understanding something fundamentally new about a disease and using that information to develop better strategies for prevention and cure," Kauwe said.

Photos

Related links

Related stories

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Utah
Carole Mikita

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast