Gene Variant May Hike Women's Risk of Alzheimer's

Gene Variant May Hike Women's Risk of Alzheimer's
(HealthDay News)
by By Amanda GardnerHealthDay Reporter
Updated: Jan 12th 2009






MONDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have discovered a gene variant on the X chromosome that appears to increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

The risk was most pronounced in women with the variant on both X chromosomes, although both women and men with just one variant of the gene were also at greater risk.

"What you have in a nutshell is the first study showing a gene on the X chromosome and the first sex-specific effect [for Alzheimer's]," said Dr. Steven Younkin, senior author of the paper