{"id":52738,"date":"2025-07-10T00:33:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T00:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/52738\/"},"modified":"2025-07-10T00:33:22","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T00:33:22","slug":"can-a-gene-mutation-help-prevent-alzheimers-new-study-explores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/52738\/","title":{"rendered":"Can A Gene Mutation Help Prevent Alzheimer\u2019s? New Study Explores"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul data-node-id=\"0\" class=\"css-1wk73g0 emevuu60\">\n<li data-node-id=\"0.0\">A new study suggests a gene mutation could have a protective effect against Alzheimer&#8217;s.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.1\">The research looked specifically at blood stem cells, which live in the bone marrow and make different types of blood cells.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.2\">Here&#8217;s what you should know about the blood stem cell mutation and what this means for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"2\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Genetic mutations aren&#8217;t always a bad thing. A groundbreaking new study suggests that mutations on a single <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/weight-loss\/a32213115\/genetic-testing-for-weight-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/weight-loss\/a32213115\/genetic-testing-for-weight-loss\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"gene\" data-node-id=\"2.1\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">gene<\/a> may actually be beneficial when it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65333676\/early-warning-signs-alzheimers-aging\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65333676\/early-warning-signs-alzheimers-aging\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Alzheimer\u2019s disease\" data-node-id=\"2.3\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"3\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">The study, which was published in the journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1934590925002280?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1934590925002280?via%3Dihub\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Cell Stem Cell\" data-node-id=\"3.1.0\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Cell Stem Cell<\/a>, looked at blood stem cells&#8217; interaction with the brain, and how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65037538\/short-sleeping-real-genetic-mutation\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65037538\/short-sleeping-real-genetic-mutation\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"mutations\" data-node-id=\"3.3\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">mutations<\/a> on a single gene can protect against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65279223\/early-alzheimers-detection-scan\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/health\/a65279223\/early-alzheimers-detection-scan\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Alzheimer&#039;s\" data-node-id=\"3.5\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Alzheimer&#8217;s<\/a>. \u201cWe now know that these cells that circulate in the blood also have the capacity to go into the brain,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcm.edu\/people-search\/katherine-king-24650\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.bcm.edu\/people-search\/katherine-king-24650\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Katherine King,\" data-node-id=\"3.7\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Katherine King,<\/a> MD, PhD, study co-author and professor at the Baylor College of Medicine. \u201cThat\u2019s important in something like Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u201d <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Here&#8217;s what the research found, plus what it suggests for the future of Alzheimer\u2019s treatment.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"6\" class=\"body-tip css-18qyn7q emevuu60\"><strong data-node-id=\"6.0\">Meet the experts<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Clifford Segil,\" data-node-id=\"6.2\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Clifford Segil<strong data-node-id=\"6.2.1\">,<\/strong><\/a> DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcm.edu\/people-search\/katherine-king-24650\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.bcm.edu\/people-search\/katherine-king-24650\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Katherine King,\" data-node-id=\"6.4\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Katherine King,<\/a> MD, PhD, is a study co-author and professor at the Baylor College of Medicine<\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"7.0\">What did the study find?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"8\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">For the study, Dr. King and her fellow researchers looked at blood stem cells in mice and humans. They discovered that people and mice with specific blood stem cell mutations in a gene called TET2 were less likely to develop Alzheimer\u2019s disease than those without the mutation. As a result, the researchers concluded that there appears to be a \u201cprotective effect\u201d of this mutation. <\/p>\n<p>More On Alzheimer&#8217;s From WH<strong data-node-id=\"10.0\">What are blood stem cells?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"11\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Blood stem cells, a.k.a. hematopoietic stem cells, live in the bone marrow and make different types of blood cells, including red blood cells, immune cells, and platelets, Dr. King explains. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"12\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">\u201cImmune cells protect us from infections, but they have an important role in helping the body stay healthy. That includes \u2018taking out the trash,\u2019\u201d Dr. King explains, referring to cellular waste. \u201cOur tissues normally produce waste and sometimes get injured. We have to clear out the injured cells to make way for healthy cells.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"13.0\">How are blood stem cells related to Alzheimer\u2019s?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"14\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">As you age, these blood stem cells can develop mutations. The mutations don\u2019t usually cause issues, but sometimes they cause cells to divide more than others and create a clone. That\u2019s called clonal hematopoiesis, and it\u2019s been linked to a higher risk for conditions like cardiovascular disease, leukemia, stroke, and more. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"15\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">But blood stem cell mutations in the TET2 gene can travel to the brain, where they may actually help clear out damaged tissue that naturally accumulates with age, Dr. King explains. \u201cIn Alzheimer\u2019s disease, there are proteins or parts of cells that are damaged tissues that build up,\u201d she says. \u201cWe have to get rid of them or clear them away.\u201d <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"16\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">This new research essentially found that the mutated blood stem cells can go to the brain and help with the process of \u201cclearing out the trash,\u201d King says. <\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"18.0\">How might this discovery help create new treatments?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"19\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">The discovery has opened the door for potential new treatments, although we\u2019re not quite there yet. \u201cSupportive cells to brain neurons may be a future potential target for a therapy in humans, as removing old damaged cells may be a reasonable way to fight aging in the brain,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.providence.org\/doctors\/profile\/203880-clifford-segil\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Clifford Segil,\" data-node-id=\"19.1\" class=\"body-link css-7bauu1 emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Clifford Segil<strong data-node-id=\"19.1.1\">,<\/strong><\/a> DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. A future treatment that\u2019s able to help healthy cells remove old or unhealthy cells may help improve brain health, he says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"20\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">But Dr. King says this process is a little complicated. \u201cThe change in stem cells isn\u2019t totally benign: There are risks and benefits,\u201d she says. \u201cThe same change that may be helpful with Alzheimer\u2019s disease is also linked with other dangerous things like heart disease and strokes.\u201d <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"21\" class=\"css-i9p093 emevuu60\">Dr. King says it may be possible to engineer stem cells to follow specific pathways to help enhance the function of the brain without causing risks\u2014but that\u2019s still TBD.  <\/p>\n<p><img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1752107602_492_ea27d1a6-ecd9-4da8-b2a7-049a03b4ab93_1528214135.file\" alt=\"Headshot of Korin Miller\" title=\"Headshot of Korin Miller\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"css-o0wq4v ev8dhu53\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men\u2019s Health, Women\u2019s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master\u2019s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new study suggests a gene mutation could have a protective effect against Alzheimer&#8217;s. The research looked specifically&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":52739,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[3178,39375,1201,815,2875,159,39374,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-52738","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-genetics","8":"tag-content-type-news","9":"tag-contentid-18ba0e48-42d5-4c53-9600-021f24952280","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-genetics","12":"tag-locale-us","13":"tag-science","14":"tag-shorttitle-this-gene-mutation-may-protect-you-from-alzheimers","15":"tag-united-states","16":"tag-unitedstates","17":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114826133792211460","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}