Good News for a Hungover Day

Happy July 5th:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A gene mutation that shrivels brain cells may be responsible for the mental retardation seen in Down syndrome, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

The finding suggests there may be a way to interfere with or even reverse the mental decline often seen as people with Down syndrome get older. The finding, published in the journal Neuron, also may apply to Alzheimer's disease, the researchers said...

...The researchers worked with genetically engineered mice to find the gene, which is called App -- short for amyloid precursor protein. Mutations are known to cause early-onset Alzheimer's disease in otherwise healthy people.

Like people with Down, the mice had three abnormal copies of the App gene. When the researchers deleted the third copy of App in the mice, the animals became more normal.

"We're now investigating ways in which we might be able to turn down App expression," Mobley said in a statement.