Scientists Just Discovered New Genes Linked To Alzheimer's. Here's The List.
With no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, doctors have repeatedly stressed the importance of knowing your personal risk factors and doing everything you can to protect your brain as you age.
In that sense, more information about how your genes, family history and habits play into the devastating disease is always a good thing. And a new study has just identified 16 new genes linked to Alzheimer’s disease, which may eventually lead to better testing and even treatments. The findings are a little technical, but we turned to the experts to hear what they think.
Here's everything to know, plus how experts interpret the findings and what it means for your life.
Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amy Postelnik, MD, is the chief of neurology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln; Dmitry Prokopenko, PhD, is a study co-author and assistant professor of neurology at the Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, is a study co-author, director of the genetics and Aging Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.
What did the study find?
The study, which was published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, focused on whole-genome sequencing data from more than 49,000 people. The study included 12,074 participants who were clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as 37,075 people who were diagnosed based on their family history (meaning they had symptoms that seemed like Alzheimer's and a prior family member also had the disease).
After analyzing the sequencing data, the researchers detected 16 new genetic signals linked with Alzheimer’s disease.
While previous studies have mostly looked at caucasian participants, this research focuses on a diverse group of people, says Dmitry Prokopenko, PhD, study co-author and assistant professor of neurology at the Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. "Our new paper emphasizes the importance of studying populations of diverse ethnic ancestries to get a more comprehensive understanding of genetic susceptibility to disease," he adds.
Which genes are linked with a greater risk of Alzheimer’s?
Most of these genes likely won't be recognizable (unless you're a doctor), but here’s a breakdown of the genes linked with Alzheimer’s disease from this study, in case you're interested:
FBN2/SCL27A6
AC090115.1
DYM
KCNG1/AL121785.1
TIAM1
VWA5B1
RNU6-755P/LMX1A
MOB1A
MORC1-AS1
LINC00989
PDE4D
RNU2-49P/CDO1
NEO1
SLC35G3/AC022916.1
RPL23/LASP1
CEBPA/AC008738.6
How do I know if I have these genes?
Right now, there’s no way to know if you have these genes. “This is not a clinically available test, nor will it be for a while,” says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.
However, Dr. Segil says there is an existing test for Alzheimer’s disease, called the APOE4 gene test or just APOE test. The apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is a well-known gene that influences Alzheimer’s risk, he explains.
"[Tests] are usually ordered by a cognitive neurologist in conjunction with a geneticist and these panels are still in the research phase," says Amy Postelnik, MD, chief of neurology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. "In the future, they may become part of a standardized assessment for dementia risk and more likely in patients with a strong family history that have a higher pretest probability of developing dementia."
Will I definitely develop Alzheimer’s if I have these genes?
Short answer: No. Why? "Everyone carries these genes," says Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, study co-author, director of the genetics and Aging Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. "The question is whether they have inherited the mutations in these genes that influence risk for Alzheimer’s disease."
But even if tests come back positive for the mutations, it only suggests an increased risk of getting dementia, Dr. Segil says. There’s no guarantee that a positive result means you will get dementia.
"Everyone gets a fresh deck of cards” in life, Dr. Segil says, pointing out that even people who have a genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease can lower their risk by living a healthy lifestyle.
Researchers also stress, like Dr. Segil, that people shouldn't jump to conclusions if they find they have these genetic mutations. "Until we understand more about exactly how mutations in these genes increase or decrease risk for Alzheimer’s disease, we would recommend it is better to wait for further characterization of their effects on risk," Prokopenko says.
What else can I do to lower my risk of developing Alzheimer’s?
If you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease and you’re worried about your own risk, Dr. Segil recommends contacting a neurologist for an evaluation and consultation. “Try to see if there are modifiable risk factors that you can adjust,” he says.
Overall, Dr. Segil recommends doing your best to manage any underlying health conditions you have, stay active, and try to live an overall healthy lifestyle. (Dr. Postelnik points out doing something as specific as addressing hearing loss can reduce your dementia risk.)
As Dr. Postelnik points out, "you cannot control your genetics but you can control your lifestyle."
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