MEDICAL RESEARCH

THE chance of developing Alzheimer’s from faulty genes could be reduced after a breakthrough by scientists.

About 14 per cent of people carry a gene called APOE4, which doubles the risk of getting Alzheimer’s.

But a new study by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shows it is possible to change the faulty gene into a less harmful variant with a lower chance of leading to Alzheimer’s.

It is hoped that in the future, stem cells with the altered gene could be introduced into the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers to reverse the disease, a technique referred to as gene therapy.

The researchers took stem cells from a human donor and modified them to change the faulty gene to the lower-risk variant.

Study leader Li-Huei Tsai, said: “APOE4 is by far the most significant risk gene for late-onset, sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. However, there really has not been a whole lot off research done on it. We still don’t have a very good idea of why APOE4 increases the disease risk.”

. See also Alzheimer’s genes advance