Decoding Dementia: How Epigenetics May Unlock The Secrets

In this episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast, guest host Dr Fiona McLean is joined by Dr Josh Harvey (University of Exeter), Dr Sarah Marzi (King’s College London), Dr Alexi Nott (Imperial College London), and Dr Sam Washer (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute) to discuss the role of epigenetics in Alzheimer’s and dementia research.

The episode offers a broad exploration of epigenetics in neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting how gene regulation beyond DNA sequences is advancing our understanding of Alzheimer’s and related conditions. It covers the impact of environmental and lifestyle factors on disease development, as well as emerging research techniques and technologies that could inform future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

#epigenetic #epigenetics #dementiaresearch #alzheimersdisease #dementiaprevention

Key Topics:

• The fundamentals of epigenetics and its distinction from traditional genetics.
• How epigenetic research is shaping our understanding of Alzheimer's disease.
• The role of environmental factors in influencing epigenetic changes.
• New technologies and their application in epigenetic studies.
• The potential for epigenetics in developing future diagnostics and therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website:

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This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support.

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Chapters:

00:00:00 Introductions
00:05:03 Understanding Epigenetics: Basics
00:10:46 Alzheimer’s and Epigenetics
00:16:10 RNA and Epigenetic Binding
00:21:32 Epigenome and Environmental Effects
00:26:56 Genetic Baseline and Variability
00:32:19 Basic Functionality of Epigenetics
00:37:45 Biomarkers in Epigenetic Research
00:43:06 Public Understanding of Genetics
00:48:31 Epigenetic Advances and Hope
00:53:54 Challenges in Research
00:58:37 Just for fun... who would you like to sequence, alive or dead
01:03:41 Roundup and Goodbyes

[stevencarr]

Why is it in America, that African Americans and Hispanics have higher rates of Alzheimer's compared to non-Hispanic whites and is there a cheapish genetic test that can be done at home that can classify people as African Americans or non-Hispanic whites, to help people understand their risk?