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Genetic
Mutation associated with famous Alzheimer
Patient may have been identified
Newswise — Writing the latest pages of an
anthropological mystery, scientists propose
in this month’s Archives of Neurology
that it is highly possible that Auguste
Deter, the first identified Alzheimer
disease patient, carried the N141I
presenilin-2 mutation—the same one as in
present-day U.S. families descended from
German emigrants who settled near the river
Volga in Russia.
Based on new molecular genetic data, Thomas
Bird, University of Washington, Seattle, and
colleagues suggest that Volga German
descendents and a present-day German family
living in Deter’s home state, Hesse, share
this PS2 mutation, as well as a chunk of
chromosome 1 surrounding it.
“This means it is extremely likely they
have a common ancestor,” Bird told ARF. “We
think there is interesting circumstantial
evidence—historical, social, geographic, and
genetic—that Alzheimer's original patient
might also have had this mutation."
Go to the Alzheimer Research Forum for the full
story:
http://www.alzforum.org/new/detail.asp?id=2447
The Alzheimer Research Forum (www.alzforum.org),
founded in 1996, is the web's most dynamic
scientific community dedicated to
understanding Alzheimer disease and related
disorders. Access to the web site is free to
all.
The Forum’s editorial priorities are as diverse
as the needs of the research community.
The web site reports on the latest scientific
findings, from basic research to clinical
trials; creates and maintains public
databases of essential research data and
reagents; and produces discussion forums to
promote debate, speed the dissemination of
new ideas, and break down barriers across
the numerous disciplines that can contribute
to the global effort to cure Alzheimer's
disease.
The ARF team of professional science writers
and editors, information technology experts,
web developers and producers all work
closely with its distinguished and diverse
Advisory Board to ensure a high quality of
information and services.
The Alzheimer Research Forum is an independent
nonprofit organization supported by grants
and individual donations. The web site does
not endorse any specific product or
scientific approach.
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