- Researchers agree that genetics play an important role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Preliminary research shows that about 25% of all cases of Alzheimer’s disease run in families.
- Researchers from Mass. General Brigham say that the risk of hereditary Alzheimer’s may also depend on whether he received it from his mother or father.
Although researchers still don’t know the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease, they do know that a few factors are involved, including genetics.
Previous studies show that genes from both parents can increase a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. One of the top genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s is
Previous research shows that
Now, researchers from Mass General Brigham say that the risk of inheriting Alzheimer’s may also depend on whether he receives it from his mother or father.
The study was recently published in a journal
For this study, researchers analyzed data from about 4,400 participants between the ages of 65 and 85.
Participants were asked whether their biological parents had symptoms of memory loss and time, as well as whether they had received any official diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
Study participants also received PET scans to measure the amount of the protein called
“Amyloid-beta accumulation is thought to be the earliest process in Alzheimer’s disease that occurs in the early (pre-symptomatic) stage,” said Hyun-Sik Yang, MD, a neurologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, assistant professor of neurology at Harvard. Medical School, and the corresponding author of this study told Medical News Today.
“All of our study participants had a normal diagnosis, but some had significant accumulation of amyloid. The early stage of Alzheimer’s disease represents a unique window for preventive intervention before it is too late. Therefore, we focused on amyloid-beta rather than processes or other later symptoms,” he told us.
At the conclusion of the study, Yang and his team found that participants with a maternal history of memory problems at all ages and a paternal history of memory impairment beginning before the age of 65 were associated with higher levels of beta-amyloid in the brain.
“A maternal history of any age at onset and a paternal history of early-onset dementia were associated with increased risk, while a paternal history of late-onset dementia was not,” Yang said. MNT. However, he added:
“Our study suggests that maternal and paternal history of dementia/memory loss may weigh differently in their impact on children’s Alzheimer’s disease risk. Also, our study highlights the importance of collecting family history for both parents and their age at the beginning.”
“In complex diseases common in medicine, we expect genes from father and mother to have the same effect on children,” he continued.
“However, in this case, we saw a striking parallel suggesting that genetic information from the mother may have a significant effect on the risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Yang.
“This pattern of maternal inheritance has been observed in
Dysfunction of mitochondria – the so-called powerhouse of cells – has previously been linked to dementia symptoms, so this may shed more light on this link.
“Other explanations include genetic imprinting — the chemical modification of DNA on either the mother’s or father’s side — that may affect children’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease,” Yang told us.
The different life expectancy of men versus women may have influenced the results of the study, though, according to the author: “[I]n our study participants – who are aged 65+ – parents’ generation, many fathers (men) may not have lived long enough to develop dementia. This may have affected our results, too.
After reviewing this study, Karen D. Sullivan, PhD, ABPP, a board-certified psychologist, owner of I CARE FOR YOUR BRAIN, and Reid Healthcare Transformation Fellow at FirstHealth of the Carolinas in Pinehurst, NC, who was not involved in this study, said. MNT This study is an important contribution to understanding the inheritance of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Using an impressive sample size of 4,000, they showed that late paternal history does not increase (the risk of) Alzheimer’s disease but early paternal history and maternal history at any age were associated with a higher risk of amyloid plaque burden, Sullivan said.
“These results show maternal inheritance of Alzheimer’s disease starting even before memory loss is detected. This finding has broad clinical implications for risk stratification and which we need to target with early diagnosis, clinical studies and advanced neuroimaging studies. , “he noted.
“We’ve known for some time that a cure for Alzheimer’s disease will take years, if not decades before the clinical symptoms of memory loss, difficulty finding words, and apathy begin,” Sullivan continued.
“These data point us in an evidence-based direction on who we should be watching more closely. Sex chromosomes are an exciting new clinical study in Alzheimer’s disease and we need to follow this group long-term to see their clinical trends,” he further explained.
MNT also spoke with Jasdeep S. Hundal, PsyD, ABPP-CN, associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and director of the Memory and Healthy Aging Center at Hackensack University Medical Center Meridian Jersey Shore in New Jersey, about this study. Hundal was also not involved in this study.
He commented that this study underscores the complex role genetics can play in Alzheimer’s disease, particularly highlighting how maternal inheritance significantly affects the accumulation of amyloid, an important factor.
“This is surprising because it emphasizes the importance of family history in assessing the risk of AD, but it also points to the need for more diverse approaches in prevention and early detection strategies. The fact that maternal history has a different effect compared to paternal history may lead to intervention In addition, research emphasis on expanding research to include different populations is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the disease.
– Jsdeep S. Hundal, PsyD, ABPP-CN
Hundal said there are several reasons why researchers need to continue to study how genetics and family history affect a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, including identifying high-risk individuals earlier in life, developing personalized care plans, and discovering new drugs. and other medical interventions.
“Continued research into the genetic and familial aspects of Alzheimer’s disease is important for developing early diagnosis, personalized treatment, and prevention strategies, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing the societal burden of the disease,” he added.
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