Duke University researchers have found what they believe is the general location of a gene thought to be responsible for a hereditary form of Alzheimer's disease, a published report said Friday.
The discovery brings scientists one step closer to finding a cause and cure for the debilitating brain disease, which primarily strikes the elderly, said Allen Roses, director of Alzheimer's research at Duke. Roses also said the finding supports the theory that at least some types of Alzheimer's disease are inherited.The Duke researchers based their conclusions on a study of 32 families, 28 of which had several family members who developed Alzheimer's in their 60s or later. Results of the study were presented Thursday to a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Miami.