Genetics of Dementia

Genetic factors are now recognized to play an important role in most age-related dementias. Although other factors, including aging itself, contribute to dementia, in this review the authors focus on the role of specific disease-causing genes and genetic factors in the most common age-related dementias. They review each dementia within the context of a genes/environment continuum, with varying levels of genetic versus environmental influence. All major classes of dementia will be discussed but greatest attention will be given to the most common dementia, Alzheimer's disease, for which several new genetic factors were recently identified.