Alzheimer's disease genetics provides clue to a cure

An effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is something of a golden fleece for scientists. From the controversial FDA approval of Aduhelm in spite of lackluster study results to the ongoing debate over the primary cause of the disease, a cure has been decades in the making yet remains elusive.

A finding earlier this year offered a lead for researchers: A few individuals in a family in Colombia have genetic mutations that delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by several decades.

My colleague, senior health and medicine editor Amanda Mascarelli, and I were intrigued by these findings. So we asked Alzheimer’s researcher Steven DeKosky of the University of Florida to explain the role that genetics plays in Alzheimer’s disease and how this might inform future treatments for everyone.

“These findings demonstrate that Alzheimer’s can be slowed and will hopefully lead to additional new therapies that can someday not only treat the disease but prevent it as well,” DeKosky writes.

This week we also liked stories on NASA’s much-anticipated report on UFOs, the importance of humility in life and designing homeless shelters with health in mind.

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