The Genomic Key to Memory

Have you ever thought that your short-term memory was just really bad? Forgetting the name of someone you just met or where you put your keys are common slips in memory that haunt most of us at some point in our lives. For certain individuals these issues will continue to progress with age and lead to signs of detrimental conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. A new study led by Prof. Ian Deary of the University of Edinburgh in the UK identifies specific genes that are linked to poorer memory in life. This was the first international study that found a link between common genetic variants and the ability to recall lists of words and stories.

The study used data from five studies conducted at the University of Edinburgh: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 and 1936. Altogether these made up the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology Consortium, which analyzed data from 30,000 individuals over the age of 45. The participants, all free of dementia, underwent memory tests that involved recalling words and stories after an assigned time period. It was found that individuals with certain genetic variants had signs of early Alzheimer’s in their brain tissue. The researchers analyzed the results with personal genome data to determine genetic variants and changes that were inked to lower memory.The results show that individuals with lower overall scores had variants near a gene called Apolipoprotein E and other gene involved with immune responses. It should be noted that previous research indicated that some forms of Apolipoprotein E are linked with increased risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's. The researchers also checked 725 postmortem brain tissue samples and determined that individuals with the genetic variants that related to poorer test scores were more likely to have signs of early Alzheimer's disease.

The genetic variants associated with memory performance also predicted altered levels of expression of certain genes in the hippocampus, a key region of the brain for the consolidation of information. This really is an interesting study for me because I do feel like I have really bad memory, and I’m young. I don’t personally have any relatives that suffer from diseases such as Alzheimer’s but the fact that the genes associated with it can be identified can lead to revolutions in the medical aspect. This can help lead the path to new preventative medicines. The data from this study from the memory test can be used in future studies as well.