Researchers identified a genetic marker used to predict how fast patients will develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Research, published in the Public Library of Science Genetics journal, indicates a gene variation associated with aggressive progression of AD, the most common form of dementia, was found in patients with high levels of a protein linked to the disease, Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported. Researchers studied DNA variations in 846 patients with elevated levels of the protein.
Data from three separate, international studies, each found the same association. The findings could help predict how quickly patients move from an initial diagnosis to full-blown dementia, researchers said.
Identifying patients who are going to develop the disease very quickly could also help in analyzing the effectiveness of trial drugs designed to slow its development.
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