A large international scientific team, which also included Greek scientists, announced that they have identified 75 genetic factors that increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Of these risk areas in DNA, 42 were found for the first time and had never before been “blamed” for this incurable neurodegenerative disease, which is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly.
Researchers from Europe (including Greek scientists from the universities of AUTh, EKPA, Thessaly and Harokopio), the United States and Australia, led by Dr. Céline Belegenkez of the Pasteur Institute in Lille, France, who published the publication in the journal Genetics Nature Geneticsanalyzed the complete genomes of 111,326 people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and 677,663 healthy (control group).
The detection of genetic risk factors is considered very important, in order to illuminate the underlying biological mechanisms and to make progress in understanding and treating the disease.
Alzheimer’s disease, which usually occurs after the age of 65, is a multifactorial disease with a strong genetic component (heredity is estimated at 60% to 80%). The majority of cases are estimated to be due to an interaction of genetic predisposition with environmental factors.
So far, despite many years of efforts by scientists, the available drugs are simply aimed at slowing down the progression of symptoms.
The disease is characterized by two pathological processes in the brain: the accumulation of beta amyloid peptides and the modification of tau protein, resulting in the destruction of neurons.
The new genetic study confirmed the importance of these pathological processes and their association with genetic risk factors.
In addition, the analysis revealed that a role in the disease is played by a malfunction of the immune system and the action of microglial cells of the central nervous system (which have a “junk” role in eliminating toxic substances). Also, for the first time it was found that tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-α), a cytokine (protein of the immune system) involved in the inflammatory process and disease.
The findings, in addition to confirming the knowledge of scientists so far, open new avenues for therapeutic research, with the aim of conducting clinical trials, especially regarding microglia and the agent. TNF-α. The researchers said they were now able to create a genetic risk index that would “rate” patients with cognitive impairment based on their estimated likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s within the next three years.
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