Research traces subset of late-in-life Alzheimer’s to genetics [Video]

(6 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bethesda, Maryland – 2 May 2024
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Eliezer Masliah, National Institute on Aging:
“We have always known for many, many years from genetic studies in Alzheimer disease that having an allele E4 of APO is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. And we knew that individuals with both alleles E4, E4. We’re at a much greater risk and the disease will emerge earlier. What we didn’t know is how penetrant these, combination of having two E4 alleles were, because we have never had a chance to study these in, in a larger population, it always was done in small cohorts, in small groups. But now that a thousand individuals have been put together, now we can and we have all the proper biomarkers. We can see that basically everybody with the two alleles of E4 eventually develop Alzheimer pathology and eventually also develop symptoms of Alzheimer disease. So that indicates that it is not just a risk factor, but that it’s a strong predictor that these individuals will develop Alzheimer pathology.”
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2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Eliezer Masliah, National Institute on Aging:
“If you have a strong family history, you know where a number of relatives have died with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, yeah, go talk to your doctor. I think that’s that’s a good message.”
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STORYLINE:
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.

Scientists have long known a gene called APOE4 is one of many things that can increase people’s risk for Alzheimer’s, including simply getting older. The vast majority of Alzheimer’s cases occur after age 65. But research published Monday suggests for people who carry not one but two copies of the gene, it’s more than a risk factor, it’s an underlying cause of the mind-robbing disease.

“It is not just a risk factor, but that it’s a strong predictor that these individuals will develop Alzheimer pathology,” said Dr. Eliezer Masliah, National Institute on Aging.

More than 6 million Americans, and millions more worldwide, have Alzheimer’s. A handful of genes are known to cause rare “early-onset” forms, mutations passed through families that trigger symptoms unusually young, by age 50. Some cases also are linked to Down syndrome.

But Alzheimer’s most commonly strikes after 65, especially in the late 70s to 80s, and the APOE gene – which also affects how the body handles fats — was long known to play some role. There are three main varieties. Most people carry the APOE3 variant that appears to neither increase nor decrease Alzheimer’s risk. Some carry APOE2, which provides some protection against Alzheimer’s.

APOE4 has long been labeled the biggest genetic risk factor for late-in-life Alzheimer’s, with two copies risker than one. About 2% of the global population is estimated to have inherited a copy from each parent.

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