Early warning for Dementia

from BBC.co.uk; published on  April 6, 2009

Heightened activity in an area of the brain that deals with memory may give a subtle early warning of dementia decade later, UK research suggests.

• It was known that carrying a rogue version of a gene called ApoE4 raised the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Now researchers have linked the same mutation with raised activity in an area of the brain called hippocampus in people as young as 20. 
  
• The researchers from Oxford University and Imperial College London, believe over activity in the hippocampus may effectively wear it out, raising the risk of dementia in later life.
  
• They hope their work could be a first step towards developing a simple method to identify people at increased risk of developing dementia.
  
• They could then potentially be offered early treatment and lifestyle advice.
  
• Carrying one copy of the rogue ApoE4 gene raises the risk of Alzheimer's by up to four times the normal, two copies by up to 10 times.
• But not everyone with the rogue gene will develop the condition. Researcher Dr. Clare Mackay said: "These are exciting first steps towards a tantalising prospect , a simple test that will be able to distinguish who will go on to develop Alzheimer's."
•  It take us a step closer to accurately predicting who will develop Alzheimer's before any symptoms become apparent.
• "The causes of Alzheimer's are complex both genetic and environmental and if we can understand these better , we can enhance efforts to help people lower their risks". "This study paves the way for further research that could help us understand how brain function in younger adults may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease later in life." said by Rebecca  Wood of the Alzheimer's Research Trust and Professor Clive Ballard director of research at the Alzheimer's Society respectively.