Alzheimer’s and Iceland
Just try to picture this: You call up one of your parents to ask them how their day went, just a simple act, but for some reason they have no idea who you are and begin to get agitated. This person who raised you and watched you grow, who knew you better than you knew yourself, suddenly treats you like a distant stranger. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by an accumulation of insoluble deposits of Amyloid βin the brain. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease that not only affects the patient, but tremendously impacts their loved ones as well. And we still know very little about this destructive disease.
Dr. Subhojit Roy from the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Center at Wisconsin University Madison discussed his research with a unique technique known as the CRISPR/Cas9 method which interferes with the production of beta-amyloids by altering specific proteins involved in the process. His research focuses on limiting the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein which might contribute to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s. In his research article, Dr. Roy mentions the Icelandic population and their inherent genetic advantage to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s.
A lot of studies have been done concerning Iceland’s genome and all studies return a wide range of information regarding their unique advantage for escaping disease. In one particular study, a small percentage of the population was found to have a mutation with a protective variant against Alzheimer’s.
To read more about this study click here:
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