Gene Discovery Could Aid in Development of Drugs to Delay and Prevent Alzheimer's

Duke University and Vanderbilt University researchers have identified a gene that influences the age at which individuals first show symptoms of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

"By combining evidence based on gene expression and genetic association, we found a gene that modifies when the diseases start," said study author Yi-Ju Li, of the Duke Center for Human Genetics.

The discovery could help in the development of drugs to effectively prevent the onset of these diseases, according to lead researcher Margaret Pericak-Vance, director of the Duke University Center for Human Genetics.

The gene is called glutathione S-transferase omega-1 or GSTO1. The researchers analyzed 1,773 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 635 patients with Parkinson's disease and found that only GSTO1 showed genetic differences associated with age at onset.

Li said even a short delay would benefit at-risk patients.

Other sources: Duke University Medical Center