Newly-Discovered Gene Variant , Could Help Prevent or Treat , Alzheimer's Disease.<br />'Newsweek' reports that scientists have uncovered <br />a genetic variant that has the potential to reduce <br />the odds of developing Alzheimer's by as much as 70%.<br />The discovery could reportedly lead to new methods to <br />effectively treat or prevent the disease which impacts <br />approximately 5.8 million people in the United States alone.<br />Some genetic variants have been found to have an <br />association with an increased likelihood of developing <br />the disease, while other variants offer protection. .<br />A team from Columbia University found that <br />genes involved with the production of fibronectin <br />play a crucial role in developing Alzheimer's.<br />Healthy individuals usually only have fibronectin present <br />in small amounts along their blood-brain barrier, while <br />those with Alzheimer's have much higher quantities.<br />It's a classic case of too much <br />of a good thing. It made us think <br />that excess fibronectin could be <br />preventing the clearance of [abnormal <br />protein clumps] from the brain, Caghan Kizil, co-leader of the study and professor of <br />neurological sciences at Columbia University's Vagelos <br />College of Physicians and Surgeons, via 'Newsweek'.<br />The team believes that methods aimed at reducing <br />fibronectin could play a crucial role in developing <br />new treatments and preventative measures. .<br />Anything that reduces excess <br />fibronectin should provide some <br />protection, and a drug that does <br />this could be a significant step <br />forward in the fight against <br />this debilitating condition, Caghan Kizil, co-leader of the study and professor of <br />neurological sciences at Columbia University's Vagelos <br />College of Physicians and Surgeons, via 'Newsweek'.<br />Our findings suggest that...<br />we may be able to develop new <br />types of therapies that mimic <br />the gene's protective effect <br />to prevent or treat the disease, Caghan Kizil, co-leader of the study and professor of <br />neurological sciences at Columbia University's Vagelos <br />College of Physicians and Surgeons, via 'Newsweek'.<br />The Columbia University team's <br />findings were published in the <br />journal 'Acta Neuropathologica.'
