Newly Discovered Mutations May Hold Key To Delaying Alzheimer's

A Colombian man with genes that should have caused early onset Alzheimer's lived symptom-free for over 20 years due to a second genetic mutation that protected his brain.
The man's entorhinal cortex, which is usually affected early in Alzheimer's, showed little buildup of tau proteins that lead to the disease.
Studying the man's genes revealed a mutation that led to increased production of a protein called reelin that prevented tau proteins from clumping together in his brain.
Further research could lead to new drugs that target the biochemical pathways involved in the man's resilience.
Combined therapies to prevent amyloid plaques and tau tangles could delay Alzheimer's long enough that it's no longer an issue for susceptible individuals.