Scientists Uncover Dozens of Previously Unknown Alzheimer’s Risk Factors
Summary
A large genetic study identified 48 previously unreported DNA regions associated with Alzheimer’s risk, based on data from about 2.8 million people. The findings point to possible roles for microglia and certain neurons, but they do not provide a clinical test or establish that a person will develop Alzheimer’s.Key Facts
- The study included about 183,620 people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
- Researchers identified 127 DNA regions associated with Alzheimer’s risk; 48 were new in this context.
- The study pooled data from 30 research groups and was published in Nature.
- Genetic signals pointed to microglia, immune cells in the brain, and to specific types of neurons.
- Researchers also found evidence involving immune-cell activity and the processing of amyloid, a protein that can build up in the brain.
- The study estimated that common genetic variants account for about 16 percent of population-level differences in Alzheimer’s risk, compared with a previous estimate of about 5 percent.
- The researchers said genetic risk prediction remains a research tool, and genes are only one of several influences on Alzheimer’s risk.
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