“New optimism” as brain scans point to Alzheimer’s gene targets

US researchers have shown that genetic variations associated with Alzheimer’s can affect brain imaging measurements, strengthening evidence that the genes have a role in the development of the disease and for their importance as treatment targets.

The UK’s leading dementia scientists describe the findings as marking “a new period of optimism” for research. The findings are reported in Archives of Neurology today.

Recent genome wide association studies (GWAS) identified several genetic variations associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In this study the researchers studied the influence of the variations on specific brain imaging measurements, including the size of the hippocampus – the part of the brain that makes new memories.
The well known APOE gene had the strongest association with clinical Alzheimer's and was associated with all but one of the imaging measurements. The other, potential, genes showed a significant cumulative effect on the neuroimaging measures analyzed.
Prof John Hardy, University College London, Institute of Neurology, and Prof Julie Williams, Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University write in an accompanying editorial:
"These findings, and the genome-wide studies that presaged them, mark a new period of optimism for those of us who study ... complex diseases of the nervous system."
"While the drought of genetic findings in Alzheimer's disease has lasted a long time, the flood of new findings have been a reward worth waiting for."
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said:
“Our understanding of the genetics of Alzheimer’s is growing, and this important development helps us zero in on treatment targets. The Alzheimer’s Research Trust is investing heavily to capitalise on the potential of genetic studies as quickly as possible to give hope for effective treatments.
“Research like this offers the only chance of abating the coming dementia crisis. With 820,000 people in the UK living with dementia now, we must invest in research to equip our scientists with everything they need to give us hope for a treatment breakthrough.”