Alzheimer's News: Researchers Discover Protective Mutation That Slows Beta Amyloid Buildup

Gina Kolata in the New York Times serves up a fine explanation of an important new Alzheimer's study. The study was published today in Nature [doi:10.1038/nature11283] and conducted by a predominantly Scandinavian group representing Genentech and deCODE genetics, based in Reykjavik, Iceland. The research confirms that the buildup of beta amyloid drives the disease and identifies a rare gene mutation that slows its production and buildup. Finding the genetic key to protecting the brain against protein plaques and tangles may be a real breakthrough in the development of new drugs.

Alzheimer's disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the US, killing nearly 75,000 a year and afflicting 5.3 million.

Recently we updated our Alzheimer's page and found no evidence to support the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

[Image: Nature]