Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Alzheimer's risk 'is 80% genetic'

Infamous twin studies - infamous because they all rest on decidly dodgy theoretical assumptions, but worth a mention...but it does make me wobnder what this means for my other half and his 3 siblings....

Mental Health Foundation: News: "Alzheimer's risk 'is 80% genetic'..

Up to 80% of the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is genetic, a study has suggested.

US researchers looked at almost 400 sets of elderly twins, where at least one had Alzheimer's.

It also found that genetic factors appeared to determine when a person developed the condition.

UK experts said the research, published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, would help quantify the role genetics played.

Two-thirds of adults aged 65 years and older with dementia have Alzheimer's.

The number of cases is expected to rise with the growing older adult population "

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Thursday, February 09, 2006

Alzheimer's highly heritable - Twin study shows that genetic factors influence the development and timing of Alzheimer's disease

Twin study shows that genetic factors influence the development and timing of Alzheimer's disease -- Mayor 332 (7537): 324 -- BMJ: "Alzheimer�s disease seems to be highly heritable, and genetic factors may also influence the timing of the disease, concludes a large study of twins published this week. "

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