Breakthrough in dementia research led by Cardiff University scientists

Researchers at Cardiff University are close to finding the cause of Alzheimer’s disease due to a breakthrough study looking into genes.

CU profs have been continuing previous research that has identified thirty genes that increase or decrease the risk of developing dementia.

Scientists have called the findings “enormously exciting”

In their latest findings, the scientists are to suggest that our immune system could be attacking brain cells of those who are possibly genetically predisposed to the disease.

Professor Julie Williams, head of the research team at Cardiff University, said: “We’re about to submit a paper that is enormously exciting and which I think will really change, without a doubt, what we think of Alzheimer’s disease going forward.

“Over the last five or six years we’ve been successful in identifying 30 genes that increase – or decrease – your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

“Now this is telling us what some of the major components in disease development are. It’s new, it’s exciting; it’s a different perspective on what Alzheimer’s disease is.

“If we can understand how that happens we can then possibly have preventive treatments or therapies for people who have the disease.”

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, with more than half a million people in the UK diagnosed with the disease.