A significant Alzheimer’s study is shedding new light on a protective gene that appears to delay the disease in those destined to develop it. Researchers from two Mass General Brigham hospitals — Mass Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital — have been studying a large extended family in Colombia with multiple members who have the Paisa mutation, which predicts an extremely high genetic risk of developing early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Among more than 1,000 high-risk family members, 27 of them who have one copy of a rare gene variant — the APOE3 gene, known as Christchurch — reported a delayed onset of symptoms. On average, they developed signs of Alzheimer’s five years later than those who did not have the variant, the researchers found. By comparison, the drugs currently available for Alzheimer’s slow the disease's progression by only around six months.
And now we can move forward with trying to develop therapies that do exactly the same thing.' He added, 'This could really transform lives — not just of the individual, but at the population level.' CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged. It analyzed a relatively small number of people carrying both the Paisa and Christchurch variants, all belonging to a single family.
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