An Alzheimer's risk gene may begin to affect the brain even in childhood

Alzheimer's is generally thought of as an illness of old age. But new research published in Molecular Psychiatry shows that a gene variant known to increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease can begin affecting brains even in childhood. Researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada were studying a gene known as SORL1 to try and figure out the biological pathways through which it increased the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. To understand the effects of SORL1 across the lifespan, the researchers used a combination of diffusion tensor imaging and detailed study of post-mortem brain tissue in individuals aged 0 to 108. Even in young children carrying the variant of SORL1 linked to increased Alzheimer's risk, the brain's white matter and executive functioning were altered, as were the translation and transcription of SORL1. Although carrying this risk gene is just one factor in the ultimate development of Alzheimer's disease, the researchers say that knowing individuals at highest risk will help target more effective prevention efforts.

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Journal article: The SORL1 gene and convergent neural risk for Alzheimer’s disease across the human lifespan. Molecular Psychiatry, 2013. doi:10.1038/mp.2013.142