Alzheimer's disease genetics provides clue to a cure

+ your USB-C cable just got more important US Edition - Today's top story: Alzheimer's disease is partly genetic − studying the genes that delay decline in some may lead to treatments for all [View in browser]( US Edition | 16 September 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( An effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is something of a golden fleece for scientists. From the controversial FDA approval of Aduhelm in spite of lackluster study results to the ongoing debate over the primary cause of the disease, a cure has been decades in the making yet remains elusive. A finding earlier this year offered a lead for researchers: A few individuals in a family in Colombia have genetic mutations that delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by several decades. My colleague, senior health and medicine editor Amanda Mascarelli, and I were intrigued by these findings. So we asked Alzheimer’s researcher Steven DeKosky of the University of Florida to explain the [role that genetics plays in Alzheimer’s disease]( and how this might inform future treatments for everyone. “These findings demonstrate that Alzheimer’s can be slowed and will hopefully lead to additional new therapies that can someday not only treat the disease but prevent it as well,” DeKosky writes. This week we also liked stories on [NASA’s much-anticipated report on UFOs](, the [importance of humility in life]( and [designing homeless shelters with health in mind](. [ [Get a global perspective on the news, with the best of The Conversation’s journalism from around the world, twice weekly.]( ] Vivian Lam Associate Health and Biomedicine Editor Researchers are zeroing in on understanding what goes awry in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Tek Image/Science Photo Library via Getty Images [Alzheimer’s disease is partly genetic − studying the genes that delay decline in some may lead to treatments for all]( Steven DeKosky, University of Florida Despite decades of starts and stops, new treatments and key genetic discoveries are giving researchers great hope for slowing or eventually preventing Alzheimer’s disease. United Auto Workers members rally after marching in the Detroit Labor Day Parade on Sept. 4, 2023. Bill Pugliano via Getty Images [US autoworkers launch historic strike: 3 questions answered]( Joshua Murray, Vanderbilt University A work stoppage hitting the three largest American automakers at the same time is unprecedented. Members of the congregation sing during a Rosh Hashana service at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles in 2013. 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