Alzheimer’s And COVID-19 Share A Genetic Risk Factor: Study

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New Delhi: A gene impacts the risk of both Alzheimer’s disease and severe COVID-19. This finding by scientists could pave the way for new targets for drug development for both diseases.

Researchers estimate that one genetic variant of the OAS1 gene increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by about 3-6 per cent in the population as a whole, while related variants on the same gene increase the likelihood of severe COVID-19 outcomes, PTI reported.

The findings, published in the journal Brain, could open the door for new targets for drug development or tracking disease progression in either disease. The findings also have potential benefits for other related infectious conditions and dementia, according to the researchers.