Memory in adults impacted by versions of four genes - 2 views
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advanced understanding of the genetic components of Alzheimer's disease and of brain development.
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understanding of the genetic components of Alzheimer's disease and of brain development
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certain versions of four genes may speed shrinkage of a brain region involved in making new memories
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hippocampus, normally shrinks with age, but if the process speeds up, it could increase vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease
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two genes associated with intracranial volume -- the space within the skull occupied by the brain when the brain is fully developed in a person's lifespan
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gene variants identified in the first study do not cause Alzheimer's, but they may rob the hippocampus of a kind of "reserve" against the disease
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cause cell destruction and dramatic shrinkage of this key brain site
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almost twice the Alzheimer's risk if he or she had these versions of the gene
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if a person with one of these variants did get Alzheimer's, the disease would attack an already compromised hippocampus and so would lead to a more severe condition at a younger age than otherwise
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Alzheimer's disease causes much of its damage by shrinking hippocampus volume
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loses a greater-than-average amount of volume due to the gene variants we've identified, the hippocampus is more vulnerable to Alzheimer's
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associations impacting intracranial volume, which is an indirect measure of the size of the brain at full development.
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brain volume and intracranial volume are both highly heritable
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no associations for brain volume
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one of these genes has played a unique evolutionary role in human development, and perhaps we as a species are selecting this gene as a way of providing further advances in brain development
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The shrinking of the hippocampus, which occurs with age in normal people, was found to be accelerated by certain versions of four genes, which could increase susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease, which also affects the volume of the hippocampus.