World Alzheimer's Day: Scientists discover gene that raises risk of Alzheimer's

A new study finds scientists identifying the gene that increases risk of Alzheimer’s disease up to 12 times. They also now know how to suppress it.

ApoE4 is a genetic variant known to increase a person’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s and the mutant gene is directly linked to brain damage caused by knots of protein within neurons called tau tangles. The study found that the tangles were found to less harmful without ApoE4.

They believe targeting the gene could theoretically prevent the neurological destruction caused by Alzheimer's, for which there is currently no cure.

According to experts, the discovery could pave the way for treatments that will slow down or halt the disease.

The study was conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri.

According to researchers, the presence of the gene increases the brain damage caused by toxic tangles of a different Alzheimer's-associated protein: tau. In its absence, tau tangles do very little harm to brain cells.

According to senior author fo the study, Dr David Holtzman, once tau accumulates, the brain degenerates.