Memory in Adults Impacted by Versions of Four Genes

In this article by ScienceDaily, researchers have put together two different phenomenal study cases. The first one is about brain shrinkage and the second one is about intracranial volume; which is “the space within the skull occupied by the brain when the brain is fully developed in a person’s lifespan” (Jason Stein).  In the first case study, they believe that they have found four genes that speed up shrinkage of a brain region that makes new memories and may relate to Alzheimer’s disease; however these genes do not cause the disease.  Researchers believe if people have these gene variants in them then it can cause cell destruction and striking shrinkage of the brain which results in severe loss of memory and cognitive ability. Also, at this rate the risk of Alzheimer’s doubles every five years. In the second study case the researchers had done a genome wide association study on cross sectional measures of intracranial volume and brain volume. However, they didn’t find much about brain volume but did discover two loci that were related to intracranial volume and this might give us hope for other information about the brain. After reading this article I was shocked at the fact that people have the four genes that speed up brain shrinkage and can cause Alzheimer’s disease and there is really no stopping it as of right now….even though the discovery is helpful and good but wish there was a way to prevent brain shrinkage.