5 New Alzheimer’s Genes May Open the Door to Diagnosing and Treating the Disease
April 7, 2011 — Senior Helper
The New York Times has reported the discovery of 5 new genes that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers believe these genes will provide greater insight into the
cause of Alzheimer’s, as well as how to diagnose and treat the disease.
The discovery of the new genes is the result of two comprehensive
studies on a combined pool of 50,000 adults in the United States and
Europe.For many years, it has been believed but as of yet unproven that cholesterol and brain inflammation are both important factors in the disease process. Some of these new genes appear to be linked to these two factors, bolstering this belief and providing fresh hope that we are moving toward more effective ways to prevent and treat this disease.
For now, the upshot of this study is that researchers now believe that there is a much stronger likelihood that people with high cholesterol are at greater risk of Alzheimer’s, because high cholesterol can lead to strokes and other head injuries, which can bring about brain inflammation. This is very important because it now appears-and we should have more evidence in the future to confirm this-that the onset of Alzheimer’s has a lot to do with a person’s diet and cholesterol level.
If you have an aging parent and are concerned that they may be at risk for Alzheimer’s, the time to act is now. If you have not done so already, begin a program to regularly monitor their cholesterol and blood pressure. Make whatever adjustments are needed in their diets to make sure their risk for high cholesterol is minimal.
If you are considering an in home senior care agency for your aging parents, make sure you choose one that takes a holistic approach to caring for them. Work with an elder care agency that is up to date on all the latest medical trends and understands the need to keep your parents on a healthy diet.
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