We’re often asked how genetic Alzheimer’s is. If a parent or grandparent has the disease, how likely am I to get it too? We know that around 99% of cases of Alzheimer’s are not directly inherited – they’re caused by a complex mix of age, genetic risk factors and lifestyle. But for a small number […]
How many people develop dementia in their 30s? If you watched ‘The Truth About Dementia’ last night on BBC1, you’ll have seen an interview with Chris Graham, told at the age of 35 that he was going to develop Alzheimer’s. We blogged about Chris in March last year, when he set off around America on […]
As Dementia Awareness Week approaches, BBC Horizon has thrown a spotlight onto dementia research with their latest programme featuring recent advances in the field. One of the studies discussed in this programme was a large research study looking at ways of helping people to live well with dementia. This study, called the GREAT trial, focused […]
One of the best ways to understand the genetics underlying Alzheimer’s disease is through large DNA studies. These studies are known as genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and involve analysing the genetic make-up of people with and without Alzheimer’s or other causes of dementia, in great detail. GWAS studies have ‘flagged up’ different versions of certain […]
Imagine an orchestra playing a complex and beautiful symphony. And now imagine there are 25,000 musicians in the orchestra. This is one way to picture how our genes work together to control the function of our brains. Mammals have around 25,000 genes, and so this takes some coordination. In people with Alzheimer’s, and other causes […]
I’m a PhD student working at the University of Manchester, in a lab which has received lots of support from Alzheimer’s Research UK over the years. I’m funded by the University, but we have also recently been awarded a grant from the charity to fund more work in our lab starting later this year. My […]
Yesterday, Dr Rita Guerreiro was awarded the great honour of European Researcher of the Year, fighting off stiff competition from dementia researchers across the continent. This fantastic achievement recognised her groundbreaking discovery in 2012; variations in the DNA code of a gene involved in immune system regulation, called TREM2, can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s […]
“There have been unbelievable developments in technology, allowing us to do experiments that we could never do before”.
Alzheimer’s Research UK recently awarded a £96,000 grant to Prof Kevin Morgan at the University of Nottingham to maintain and expand his large collection of DNA samples. This is to ensure he can continue his important research into the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease. These huge DNA banks are an essential tool for Alzheimer’s research; the […]
Making the news today is research from scientists at Cardiff University who, as part of a global research team, have discovered 11 new areas of the genome linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s. The study is unique in the field of Alzheimer’s, not just for the sheer quantity of genetic information it has produced […]
