Alzheimer's: Genetic Dementia

Part I of Essay
Alzheimer's, the disease of the degeneration of the brain, was identified in 1907 by German physician Alois Alzheimer. Four million Americans suffer from the disease which deprives the victim of the ability to remember, think, reason, and eventually coordinate movement. T ....

Part II of Essay
.... alleles, e2, e3, and e4. Those with one or two e4 alleles are deemed at higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, although those who possess APOE-e4 are not guaranteed to develop the disease. APOE-e4 may simply be unable to efficiently repair nerve cells. The presence of e4 does not signify if person will develop Alzheimer's; instead, it signifies when he or she will get it. Recent studies suggest that Alzheimer's may be affected by an interaction between APOE and the newly discovered risk factor alpha-2-macrogobulin, A2M, a gene mutation on c ....