Study links gene variants to 7 in 10 cases of Alzheimer’s disease
A study published in npj Dementia has suggested that gene variants APOE4 and APOE3 could account for over 7 in 10 cases of Alzheimer’s disease and overall be linked to nearly half (45%) of all types of dementia.
The study, conducted by Dr Dylan Williams and his team at University College London, analysed health data from over 450,000 people to find out how many cases of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia are linked to APOE3 and APOE4 variants.
APOE4 is the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s in people over 65. APOE3 is thought to affect dementia risk less.
Dr Dylan Williams, says:
“In addition to the need for more research addressing APOE’s own role in Alzheimer’s, understanding what modifies the risk people inherit from their APOE genes is another crucial question for dementia researchers to grapple with. For example, research shows that nearly half of global dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing certain modifiable risk factors, such as social isolation or managing high cholesterol. With complex diseases like Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia, there will be more than one way to reduce disease occurrence.”
You can read the study here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44400-025-00045-9