Search for new genes linked to late onset Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease that causes a slow loss of memory and thinking skills. It is called late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, or LOAD, when the disease occurs in someone older than 60. One in every 8 people over age 65 has LOAD. We do not fully understand why people get LOAD. Only one gene has been strongly linked to the condition. There are likely many other genes involved. Vanderbilt researchers are looking for new gene changes (variants) that may increase a person’s chance of getting LOAD. In this project, they will study BioVU DNA samples from patients with LOAD. They will test these samples for more than 200,000 variants. They will compare the variants found in LOAD patients with those found in healthy patients. This will show which variants may cause the disease. The results may reveal new genetic factors that lead to Alzheimer’s disease. This information could help doctors predict which patients might be likely to get this disease.