Seeking the Causes of Alzheim... Video Transcript

Webcast Transcript

When you think how common this disease is in, say, the over 80 or 85-year-old. Thirty percent of the population. Maybe if we all lived to be 120, we'd all end up with Alzheimer's disease.

So, in that sense, we're all susceptible. I don't think there'll ever be a blood test which will predict that when you're 50 you'll develop Alzheimer's disease. Not unless you're a member of one of these very rare pedigrees. There are genetic cases of Alzheimer's disease where one can predict, with a fair degree of accuracy, what the age of onset would be. That's not the case with Apo-E. But there's probably multiple genetic factors that make you more or less susceptible to Alzheimer's disease.

DAVID MARKS, MD: There's something else called Tau. Tau protein, I believe it is. What is that?

PETER DAVIES, PhD: Tau is the major protein of the tangle, the major protein that ends up getting tangled up into this fibrous mass inside a nerve cell. It's also a protein that's very important for normal brain function, very important in providing support for the scaffolding of a nerve cell, the microtubules that make up the scaffolding of the nerve cell, along which other proteins are transported. It's really held together by Tau and similar proteins. So there's a lot of attention as to how Tau gets into tangles, and what the consequences of that are.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Last thoughts on causes of Alzheimer's disease?

NORMAN RELKIN, MD: I prefer to refer to the disorder as a complex genetic disorder. And that means that it arises from an interaction of genetic factors, environmental or life experience factors. Not something that you can put your finger on as being the cause. But, again, something in which there is a common pathologic mechanism that we're learning increasing amounts about, and which are providing us with future targets for therapy.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Any last thoughts?

PETER DAVIES, PhD: The body has a natural protection against Alzheimer's disease. The vast majority of patients get to be 75 or 80 before developing this disease. All we really need to do is extend that natural protection, and we wouldn't have a significant problem with Alzheimer's disease.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Okay. Thank you both. Very interesting, but very confusing. Hopefully this provided you some useful information. I'm sure we're going to be hearing a lot about this in the coming years. Thanks for joining our webcast. I'm Dr. David Marks, and I'll see you next time.

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