(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Although researchers have identified genetic
variations associated with Alzheimer's disease, a new study shows those
variations do not help determine patients who are at risk for the disease.
One out of every five people who are 65 years of age is predicted to develop
Alzheimer's in his or her lifetime. Researchers from the Netherlands
conducted a study to examine if certain genes associated with Alzheimer's
can predict who will get the disease.
Investigators identified two genetic variations that were associated with
Alzheimer's. However, they write: "These loci did not improve AD risk
prediction. The value of these associations may lie in the insights they
could provide for research into the pathophysiological mechanisms of
Alzheimer's disease."
In an accompanying editorial, Nancy L. Pederson, Ph.D., from the Karolinska
Institutet in Sweden, said these findings are a reminder that family history
is very important in determining Alzheimer's risk. She also writes,
"Findings such as those reported [in this study] reinforce the futility of
using individual genetic risk profiling for Alzheimer's disease beyond
collecting information on age, sex, family history and APOE status."
SOURCE: JAMA, 2010; 303[18]: 1832-1840
