Study: Alzheimer’s Disease Mostly Genetic
February 12, 2006
U.S. researchers have concluded the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may be up to 80 percent genetic.
Scientists from the University of Southern California-Los Angeles found health, environmental factors and gene mutations caused only a small portion of the brain disease, the BBC reports.
The researchers looked at nearly 400 Swedish twins over 65 years old where at least one had Alzheimer’s.
They studied twins because of the similarity in genetic makeup so if both develop a condition it can be attributed to genetics.
The study found 58 to 79 percent of Alzheimer’s cases were genetic, and that for twins who both developed it, they did so an average 3.66 to 8.12 years apart.