New Clues About Why Some People's Brains Age More Rapidly Than Others'
Scientists have new evidence that the presence of a particular gene is associated with age-related nerve cell changes in the brain.
One in four of us faces an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease because we have a gene called APOE
4. And a recent study at Duke University Medical Center suggests that the APOE4 gene may be tied to more rapid age-related brain changes even in those who have not yet been diagnosed with any brain disease. The researchers studied a group of 165 healthy men and women aged 55 to 85, half of whom have APOE4 and half who don't. Murali Doraiswamy, director of psychiatry clinical trials at Duke, says they tracked levels of a chemical found in the frontal lobe of the brain to determine the effects of the gene on nerve cell function.
"We found that those who carried the APOE4 gene -- their frontal activity declined almost three times faster than those who did not have this gene."
The next step is to understand how APOE4 works.
"By understanding how this particular gene exerts its effects on the brain, we might be able to come up with either very simple ways, such as dietary changes, or more sophisticated ways, such as designer drugs, to try to maintain our brains in a healthier state a lot longer."
I'm Cabell Smith for MedMinute.
contact sources : Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy , 919-668-2572 dorai001@mc.duke.edu