Scientists at Cardiff University claim they are on the verge of an “enormously exciting” breakthrough that will advance our understanding of the causes of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Scientists at Cardiff University claim they are on the verge of an “enormously exciting” breakthrough that will advance our understanding of the causes of Alzheimer’s Disease.
According to a recent statement from research team leader, Professor Julie Williams, the findings suggest that the body’s immune system may attack the brain cells of people that are genetically susceptible to Alzheimer’s:
“Our immune response is about how the brain keeps us safe, it’s about getting rid of things which might invade the brain, getting rid of nerve cells and bits that go wrong.
“It has a very complicated set of activities and some of those are actually, I think, dismantling the brain at its roots … If we can understand how that happens we can then possibly have preventive treatments or therapies for people who have the disease.”
The research is part of a global effort to maximise the database of gene samples available for analysis, which now contains 90,000 samples. This research initiative has so far linked 30 genes with the development of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, which currently affects approximately 850,000 people across the UK (with numbers set to pass 1 million by 2025).
Fiona Lowry, our CEO, commented: “We very much welcome the findings of this study, and hope that the research will help to improve screening, advanced treatment and care for people deemed susceptible to Alzheimer’s Disease.”
