PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsProtection against dementia may run in families

BioNews

Protection against dementia may run in families

Published 21 March 2013 posted in News and appears in BioNews 669

Author

Dr Sophie Pryor

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.

Families with higher levels of a protein linked to inflammation may be at a reduced risk of dementia....

Families with higher levels of a protein linked to inflammation may be at a
reduced risk of dementia.

Scientists at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, USA, tested elderly
men without dementia for levels of a
substance called C-reactive protein (CRP) and found that those with higher
levels were 30 percent less likely to have relatives with dementia.

They also found that the amount of CRP was associated with greater memory quality. 'Those who were doing best in memory function and
cognition were the ones with the highest levels of CRP', said study author Dr
Jeremy Silverman.

The study involved 277 dementia-free men, aged 75 and over. The researchers
interviewed their parents and siblings and found that, of the 1,329 relatives
questioned, 40 people from 37 families had dementia. A second, independent
group of 51 men was also included, with nine of their 202 relatives found to
have the condition.

While CRP has been previously associated with impaired cognition in younger
people, the authors suggested that a high amount of the protein in older,
dementia-free adults could indicate the presence of other protective factors.

'It's not necessarily that a high level of CRP, which is a bad thing,
suddenly becomes a good thing in late age', Dr Silverman explained. 'It's more
likely that these people are carrying protection against these bad elements'.

On its website, the Alzheimer's Society pointed out that CRP is
actually more likely to be a 'risk factor rather than protection against
dementia'. However, it said: 'This interesting research suggests that people
who do not develop dementia despite potentially being more at risk might share
genetic or lifestyle factors with their families that make them less likely to
develop the condition'.

The protective elements are yet to be identified. But it is
hoped that by using CRP levels to identify those who are resistant to
dementia scientists will then be able to find genes associated with cognition
and memory. Dr Silverman hopes that such discoveries will ultimately help
develop treatments, or even cures, for dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

'The value of identifying genes is not to pick out the people who are
protected, but rather it allows us to understand the mechanisms involved and
lead to preventative methods to protect against dementia for those who don't
carry the genes', he said.

The study was published in the journal Neurology.

Related Articles

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
1 December 2014 • 2 minutes read

Immune-related mutations might maintain memory

by Chris Hardy

Common variants of immune-related genes have been linked with memory performance...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
29 August 2013 • 2 minutes read

Gene activity decline behind 'senior moments'

by Michelle Downes

Age-related memory loss could be the result of low levels of protein in the brain, according to researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC)...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
14 March 2013 • 2 minutes read

Rare genetic mutation protective against Alzheimer's disease

by Dr Linda Wijlaars

A rare genetic mutation, found in about one percent of Icelanders in a recent study, appears to protect against Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline. It is the first mutation found to act in this way and could be a target for future drug therapy...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
6 March 2013 • 2 minutes read

Alzheimer's gene linked to diabetes

by Dr Linda Wijlaars

A gene known to be found in many Alzheimer's patients has been linked to the way insulin is processed in the body. The finding could prove there is a link between Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes, explaining why people with diabetes face a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's....

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
31 January 2013 • 2 minutes read

Alzheimer's memory loss due to gene blockade reversed in mice

by Dr Maria Botcharova

An enzyme associated with memory loss can be blocked to reverse symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice, a study has shown...

Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false colour).
CC BY 4.0
Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false-coloured cryogenic scanning electron micrograph).
News
31 January 2013 • 1 minute read

Alzheimer's brain cells grown from skin cells of Down's syndrome patients

by Dr Caroline Hirst

Skin cells from volunteers with Down's syndrome have been turned into brain cells in order to provide a new model for researchers to study Alzheimer's disease...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
29 November 2012 • 3 minutes read

Same genetic mutation linked to ALS and dementia

by George Frodsham

Researchers have identified a strong link between a genetic fault and two common neurological disorders. Two independent studies have found that the mutation is common in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), particularly if the disease is familial...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
19 November 2012 • 2 minutes read

Mutation in immune response gene linked to Alzheimer's disease

by Helen Brooks

A single genetic mutation increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by threefold, say scientists from two independent research groups...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Just five patients but gene therapy leukaemia trial yields positive results

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
13 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Drop in diversity of blood stem cells leads to old-age health issues

6 July 2022 • 1 minute read

Frozen embryo transfers linked to high blood pressure in pregnancy

5 July 2022 • 1 minute read

Anorexia in pregnancy linked to increased risk of complications

5 July 2022 • 2 minutes read

Pregnancy after breast cancer treatment does not increase risk of recurrence

5 July 2022 • 1 minute read

No difference between fresh and frozen sperm for IUI

4 July 2022 • 2 minutes read

Shorter IVF protocol reduces risk of OHSS

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856