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Alzheimer's Breakthrough Could Avert 20% of Cases

Aspirin, ibuprofen may avert dementia if scientists are right

By Neal Colgrass, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 6, 2009 6:25 PM CDT

(Newser) – British and French researchers say they have discovered three genes that may cause 20% of Alzheimer's cases, the Times of London reports. In the largest genetic probe of Alzheimer's so far, British experts discovered two dementia-causing genes; French scientists found a third in a separate study. The genes may account for brain inflammation and lead to treatments using anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen, scientists say.

“If we were able to remove the detrimental effects of these genes through treatments, we could reduce the proportion of people developing Alzheimer’s by 20 per cent," one scientist says. "In the UK alone this would prevent just under 100,000 people developing the disease." Previously, experts had considered inflammation to be a side-effect of Alzheimer's, not a cause.

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Jackie Lustig, 52, left, comforts her mother Jeannette Zeltzer, 81, who suffers from Alzheimer's. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

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These discoveries will enable scientists to follow new avenues of investigation as they piece together the causes of Alzheimer’s disease—likely to be a mixture of genes, lifestyle and life events. - Susanne Sorensen, chief researcher at the Alzheimer's Society charity

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 10 comments

thirdherd

Sep 7, 2009 12:56 PM CDT

WOW let's move there. Oh this study was conducted with private money. The evil drug companies will now step in and get the ball rolling. Big Gov. not involved at all.......

riffran

Sep 7, 2009 10:51 AM CDT

Truly sorry to hear that. Alzheimers is a horrible process. It is hard on the patient and even worse on the family. Lost my grandmother to it. God bless and good luck, and PLEASE. Read up on dealing with it. There will be a.lot of coping issues to handle as you're loved one progresses through the stages. Hang in there and don't be afraid to ask for help. It gets rough.

mehrheit

Sep 7, 2009 6:00 AM CDT

Though Reader###### was not very eloquent, and you are quite justified pointing that out, to be clear: hoping that your country will progress to something better does not equal self loathing nor does it equal anti-Americanism. -- By the way, how is the "move there if you don't like it here" attitude working out for all the right wingers today? Where the fuck would you move, to find somewhere more right-wing than the USA? Columbia? El Salvador? Egypt? Haiti? Greece? Israel may be your only first-world option, unless Russia counts as first world. Bottom line: If I made it through 8yrs of Bush, you can handle 8yrs of Obama : )

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Alzheimer's Breakthrough Could Avert 20% of Cases