8 2020 BAYCREST IMPACT
RESEARCH DISCOVERY:
YOUR GENES AREN'T THE ONLY FACTOR
DICTATING ALZHEIMER'S RISK
In the first study published about Alzheimer's disease among identical triplets, researchers
from Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute (RRI) and the University of Toronto found that
despite sharing the same DNA, only two of the triplets developed Alzheimer's. They were
diagnosed in their mid-70s.
"These findings show that your genetic code doesn't dictate whether you are guaranteed
to develop Alzheimer's," says Dr. Morris Freedman, a senior author on the paper, Head of
Neurology at Baycrest and scientist at the RRI. "There is hope for people who have a strong
family history of dementia since there are other factors, whether it's the environment or
lifestyle, which could either protect against or accelerate dementia."
The research team analyzed the gene sequence and the biological age of blood cells taken
from each of the triplets, as well as the children of one of the triplet's with Alzheimer's. Among
the children, one developed early onset Alzheimer's disease at age 50 and the other did not
report signs of dementia.
