Gene Increases Alxheimer's Risk in African Americans

In the article In
Blacks, Alzheimer’s Study Finds Same Variant Genes as in Whites, it is explained
that a certain gene in African Americans contributes to the likelihood of
getting Alzheimer’s disease. The gene is called ABCA7. Although both white
people and African Americans can have the gene, ABCA7, it only significantly increases
the likelihood of Alzheimer’s for African Americans. ABCA7 is also found to
contribute to heart disease, which helps explain why some people get both
Alzheimer’s and heart disease. This article shows the significance of learning
how certain genes increase likelihood of certain diseases. I believe it is
important to focus more research on the connection between genes and diseases. A
related article posted by CNN, First
genes linked to higher risk of Alzheimer's disease among African Americans,
states that:

More studies are needed to confirm the role that these
genetic variants play in contributing to Alzheimer's in the African American
population, but if the associations are confirmed, they could lead to more
refined ways of diagnosing and treating the disease in this group.

Knowing how to best diagnose a disease based on the patient’s
genes, would greatly benefit doctors and patients. It would save money and help
the patient in the most efficient way possible.