Researchers at Columbia University have uncovered how variations in the ABCA7 gene, which are prevalent among Black Americans, heighten the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. These genetic variants accelerate neurodegeneration by diminishing levels of neuropeptide Y, a crucial protein for maintaining synapses in the brain and ensuring the resilience of neurons.
“Our findings not only enhance our understanding of Alzheimer’s, but they also provide a new direction for developing treatments that could halt or reverse the progression of the disease,” stated Caghan Kizil, PhD, the study’s lead author and an associate professor of neurological sciences at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, as well as the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain.
