Expert’s hope for Alzheimer’s treatment by 2040

One of the UK’s leading Alheimer’s experts believes there will be treatment for the most common forms of the disease within the next twenty years.

Professor Julie Williams’ team at Cardiff University has identified 92 genes that significantly increase the risk of having the progressive condition, having only known of three genes when their research began in 2009.

Professor Williams, who has studied Alzheimer’s for thirty years, said “Things are speeding up and improving all the time.  I’ve learnt more in the last seven years than I did in the previous 20.”

Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain and is the most common cause of dementia, one of the UK’s biggest killers of the over-50s.

Professor Williams, centre director at the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, said gene therapy, combined with an improved understanding from international studies, was telling researchers more every day.

“Once you know where to start looking then you can study the effects which genes have on specific brain activity.  Tests which cost millions in the ‘90s can now be carried out for around £30.

“For example we now know that defective genes changing the way immune cells called microglia work.

“By 2040 I think we’ll be in the position to offer a range of treatment and we might not know exactly why, but one of them will be able to act on the huge range of causes.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (jacquelinevance@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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