[New risk genes for Alzheimer's disease--biomarkers predicting the disease?]

Genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease do not directly cause the disease, but instead increase the likelihood of developing it. Genetic identification of alterations in risk genes as such is not sufficient to elucidate their role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Additional functional investigations are required in which mechanisms of action of the risk genes are identified in events that are essential for disease pathogenesis at the cellular level. New Alzheimer's disease risk gene findings may enhance the prediction of disease risk in symptomless persons and facilitate the design of individualized drug therapies in the future.