Location on Human Genome Now Associated With Memory
With a recent analysis of genomic data and memory test results of over 14,000 older adults a location of the human genome has been identified to relate to better memory performance which was not associated with brain performance before. The gene known as FASTKD2, located on chromosome 2, revealed that better episodic memory resulted from a G nucleotide rather than the common A nucleotide. This change known as a single nucleotide polymorphism was also connected to a larger hippocampus, a brain structure involved with storing and retrieving memory, and increased gray dense matter in the brain on magnetic resonance imaging scans.Although, there is no claim that this is the gene which is solely responsible for memory but the hopes of this information is that the FASTKD2 gene could be targeted to help those with conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. A decline in memory and hippocampal atrophy are two of the main symptoms which are associated with Alzheimer's therefore the correction of those symptoms by targeting the FASTKD2 gene is where research is now heading.
This was especially interesting to me because it is a new, and genetic, solution to attempting to treat Alzheimer's. There have been a lot of suggestions of what can help prevent or prolong the effects of Alzheimer's but now with a new approach there is an attempt to help treat as well. I also just found it intriguing that memory could be found to be associated with a specific gene, although it is not a single gene responsible for memory.
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