foodconsumer.org: Genetic mutations raise Alzheimer's risk, healthy lifestyle cuts the risk

Genetic mutations raise Alzheimer's risk, healthy lifestyle cuts the risk
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admin on 09/06/2009 18:51:00
 
Two new genes found associated with Alzheimer’s disease
A team of more than 80 scientists from all over the world have identified
mutations on two more genes that are associated with Alzheimer's disease,
according to a study report published in the online edition of the journal
Nature Genetics.
Prof Julie Williams, the paper’s lead-author, Chief Scientific Adviser to the
Alzheimer’s Research Trust in the UK and colleagues found two new genes that
are associated with Alzheimer’s after comparing Alzheimer’s patients to
those who had no clinical symptoms of the disorder.
For the study, the researchers examined more than 600,000 DNA markers in a
population of more than 19,000 older European and U.S. residents of whom 7,000
had Alzheimer’s disease and the rest had no symptoms of the disease.
Four genes have already been found associated with Alzheimer's disease earlier. 
Three such genetic mutations are found as causes of rare, inherited forms of
early onset Alzheimer's while the fourth called APOE4 is linked to the more
common type of late-onset disease.
The new study found two new genes apparently involved in elevated risk of
Alzheimer's and confirmed the importance of APOE4.  The new gene APOJ was found
on chromosome 8 and called clustrin and the other gene known as PICALM was found
on chromosome 11.
The effect of mutations in the two new genes is relatively smaller compared to
APOE, the researchers estimated.
Alison M. Goate, D.Phil. coauthor of the study, from Washington University was
quoted as saying that it's not yet clear how these new genes affect Alzheimer's
disease risk. It seems though that the clustrin gene is involved in the
formation of amyloid deposits in the brain while PICALM appears involved in the
breakdown of  synapses, structure that allow neurons in the brain to
communicate.
What can you do to reduce your risk?
Carrying mutated genes that are linked to Alzheimer’s may not ultimately
result in Alzheimer's disease.  According to Dr. Colin T Campbell, a
distinguished nutrition professor at Cornell University, genetics may only play
a small role in the development of diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer.
Environmental factors have the major effect on the outcome.
As a matter of fact, many studies have suggested that following a healthy diet
and lifestyle, the risk for Alzheimer's disease can be substantially reduced.
One study recently reported by foodconsumer.org found that high intake of meat,
butter, high-fat dairy products, eggs, and refined sugar are more likely found
in Alzheimer's patients than healthy people.
The study was conducted by Polish scientists and reported in the April 6, 2009
issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Previous studies also found that lack of dietary omega3 fatty acids and presence
of high sugar levels and high cholesterol levels in the blood may increase risk
of Alzheimer's disease.
On the other hand certain dietary supplements may help prevent Alzheimer's
disease.
J Wang and colleagues from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York reported
in the June 18, 2008 issue of the journal of Neuroscience that grape seed
extract significantly inhibits amyloid beta-protein aggregation into high
molecular-weight oligomers in vitro.  Amyloid deposits are believed to be the
direct cause for Alzheimer's disease.
Vitamin D, curcumin, Mediterranean diet each may help reduce the risk of
Alzheimer’s disease.
UCLA in July 2009 issued a press release to announce that its researchers have
found that vitamin D, curcumin may help clear amyloid plagues found in
Alzheimer's patients.
A study published in 2006 in Archives of Neurology found those who best adhered
to the Mediterranean diet reduced their risk of Alzheimer's by 68 percent
compared to those who worst adhered to the diet.
By David Liu - davidl at foodconsumer dot org