It is important to remember that currently there is no cure for Alzheimers disease and that research is still being done to help find a cure. Research is also being done to help determine the causes of this condition as the causes of Alzheimers disease are still unknown. So far, current research has indicated that Alzheimers disease may be triggered by a number of factors, and while age, genetics and more all contribute to the likelihood of an individual getting Alzheimers disease, finding a more definitive cause is still at the root of most research.
Based on research today; age is the most important and significant risk factor for Alzheimers disease and research has shown the older a person gets the higher their chance for developing the disease will become. Here are some other important facts that current Alzheimers research has unveiled:
- There are two types of Alzheimers disease: familial and sporadic.
- Less than 10 percent of Alzheimers disease cases are from familial Alzheimers disease, as this rare condition usually impacts people between the ages of 30 to 60, which is remarkably young for an Alzheimers patient.
- Research has unveiled that there are three mutations that are typical in early-onset Alzheimers, which tends to impact those ages 30 to 50. With these conditions, mutations on chromosomes 1, 14 and 21 are usually present.
- There are many genes such as the apoE gene on chromosome 19 that heighten the risk of late onset Alzheimers, but they do not signal that a person will definitely develop the condition.
- Some research has found that genes on chromosome 10 will boost an individuals risk of developing this condition.
While major advancements have been made in terms of research for Alzheimers disease, continuing support is needed in order to help discover more about Alzheimers and to find both a cause and a cure for this disease.