Eighty percent of people with Parkinson’s develop dementia within 20 years of their diagnosis. In a recent article in Science Daily, I learned that researchers discovered that the genetic variant APOE4 spurs the spread of harmful clumps of Parkinson’s proteins through the brain. Findings suggest that therapies that target APOE might reduce the risk of dementia for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
In making the above-noted finding, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, analyzed publicly available data from three separate sets of people with Parkinson’s. It was found that cognitive skills declined faster in people with APOE4 than those with APOE3. People with APOE2, showed no cognitive decline over the period of the study.
Although APOE does not affect the overall risk of developing Parkinson’s or how quickly movement symptoms worsen, an APOE-targeted therapy might stave off dementia, the researchers suggest.
We often blog on the issue of dementia as it affects many aspects of our practice as estate litigators. It is always encouraging to read about a positive study or breakthrough in the area of this debilitating disease.
To learn more about this study, please consider visiting here.
Thanks for reading.
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