PsyPost reports:

A new study has revealed that a person’s genetic makeup can alter how small molecules in their blood, known as metabolites, are linked to their risk of developing dementia. The research, published in Nature Medicine, also suggests that following a Mediterranean diet may be particularly effective at lowering dementia risk for individuals who carry the highest genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition that causes a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities. Scientists have long known that genetics play a substantial role in a person’s risk for the condition. The most significant genetic risk factor is a gene called apolipoprotein E, or APOE. People who inherit one copy of a specific version of this gene, known as APOE4, have a much higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Those who inherit two copies, one from each parent, face an even greater risk, and researchers are beginning to view this group as having a distinct genetic form of the disease. To better understand the biological pathways leading to dementia, a team of researchers led by Yuxi Liu of Brigham and Women’s Hospital sought to investigate the interplay between genetics, diet, and metabolites, which are the byproducts of the body’s metabolic processes. [Continue reading…]