Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease share common genetics in some patients

Alzheimer’s disease, which currently affects 5.7 million people in the U.S. and has no cure, will potentially have findings that will lead to improve early diagnosis and potentially new preventative strategies for Alzheimer. A research of over 1.5 million individuals has pointed out a link between heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. A study published in Acta Neuropathologica, combined GWAS (genome-wide association studies) to make statistical links between various disease states and shared variations in the genetic code. The researchers identified 90 spots in the genome where DNA variants increased patients combined chance of having both Alzheimer’s and high blood levels of lipids including HDL and LDL cholesterol, which are common risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Chromosome 11 has been linked to immune system biology, the researchers confirmed that six of the 90 spots had a strong genome-wide significant effects on Alzheimer’s and heightened blood lipid levels, and several sites within CELF/MTCH2/SPI1 on chromosome 11.

So, in conclusion Genetics may predispose some people to both Alzheimer’s disease and high levels of blood lipids such as cholesterol, which causes cardiovascular disease. Which in my opinion if they are linked it means that Alzheimer could be prevented by lowering the level of lipids in the blood, which is a good thing to find since many people a prone to suffer the disease.

Reference:

University of California - San Francisco. "Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease share common genetics in some patients." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 9 November 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181109155521.htm>.