A study suggests that genetics is a cause, not just a risk, for some cases of Alzheimer's
Scientists are proposing a new way of understanding the genetics of Alzheimer's that would mean up to a fifth of patients would be considered to have a genetically caused form of the disease.Currently, the vast majority of Alzheimer's cases do not have a clearly identified cause. The new designation, proposed in a study published Monday, could broaden the scope of efforts to develop treatments, including gene therapy, and influence the design of clinical trials.It could also mean that hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone could, if they wanted, receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer's before developing any symptoms of cognitive decline, even though there are currently no treatments for people at that stage.The new classification would make this type of Alzheimer...