Scientists Find 13 Rare Alzheimer's Gene Variants

A study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association revealed 13 previously unknown rare variants of genes connected to Alzheimer's disease, reports The Hill . The team sequenced the genomes of 2,247 people in a genome-wide association study (GWAS), and the previously undiscovered variants are associated with synapse function, neural development, and neuroplasticity. "With this study, we believe we have created a new template for going beyond standard GWAS and association of disease with common genome variants, in which you miss much of the genetic landscape of the disease," said Massachusetts General Hospital's Rudolph Tanzi. Although there is no one specific gene underpinning Alzheimer's disease, the new study brings scientists closer to reaching a fuller understanding of what genomic variations and combinations may elevate risk.