Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease

Title

Other Names:

EOFAD; Early-onset familial autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease; Early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease; EOFAD; Early-onset familial autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease; Early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease; Familial Alzheimer disease See More

Categories:

Congenital and Genetic Diseases; Nervous System Diseases

Summary Summary

Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease is a form of Alzheimer disease (AD) that develops before the age of 65. It is diagnosed in families that have more than one member with AD (usually multiple persons in more than one generation) in which the age of onset is consistently before age 60 and often between the ages of 30 and 60 years. In general, AD is a degenerative disease of the brain that causes gradual loss of memory, judgement, and the ability to function socially.^[1]^[2]

There are three subtypes of early-onset familial AD which are each associated with changes (mutations) in unique genes:^[1]^[2]

(1) Alzheimer disease, type 1 is caused by mutations in the APP gene
(2) Alzheimer disease, type 3 is caused by mutations in the PSEN1 gene
(3) Alzheimer disease, type 4 is caused by mutations in the PSEN2 gene.

All subtypes are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. There is no cure for AD. Treatment is supportive and based on the signs and symptoms present in each person.^[1]

Last updated: 5/5/2017

Inheritance Inheritance

Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.^[1] This means that to be affected, a person only needs a change (mutation) in one copy of the responsible gene in each cell. In some cases, an affected person inherits the mutation from an affected parent. Other cases may result from new (de novo) mutations in the gene. These cases occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family. A person with this condition has a 50% chance with each pregnancy of passing along the altered gene to his or her child.

Last updated: 11/2/2015

Diagnosis Diagnosis

Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease is diagnosed in families that have more than one member with AD in which the age of onset is before age 60 to 65 years. Genetic testing and identification of a mutation in one of the implicated genes (PSEN1, APP, or PSEN2) in an affected family member can assist in confirming the diagnosis. Not all families with early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease are found to have mutations in one of the three known genes; therefore there may be other genes involved that have not yet been reported.^[1]

Last updated: 3/10/2017

Testing Resources

The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

Treatment Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer disease in general; however, there are medications that may assist in temporarily helping with memory and thinking problems, such as Exelon, Galantamine, and Aricept. Physical and occupational therapy can be helpful in managing problems with walking and activities of daily living. Depression and seizures may be treated with appropriate medications.^[1]

Last updated: 3/10/2017

Management Guidelines

GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.

Do you have updated information on this condition? Let us know.

Research Research

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are studying or have studied Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

General Clinical Trials & Research

The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) is an international research partnership of leading scientists determined to understand dominantly inherited Alzheimer disease. DIAN is currently enrolling study participants who are biological adult children of a parent with a mutated gene known to cause dominantly inherited Alzheimer disease and early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease.

Organizations Organizations

Nonprofit support and advocacy groups bring together patients, families, medical professionals, and researchers. These groups often raise awareness, provide support, and develop patient-centered information. Many are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct people to research, resources, and services. Many groups also have experts who serve as medical advisors. Visit their website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Alzheimer's Association
225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17
Chicago, IL 60601-7633
Toll-free: 800-272-3900
TTY: 866-403-3073
Fax: 866-699-1246
E-mail: info@alz.org
Website: http://www.alz.org
Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center (ADEAR)
P.O. Box 8250
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8250
Toll-free: 800-438-4380
Telephone: 301-495-3311
Fax: 301-495-3334
E-mail: adear@nia.nih.gov
Website: http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers
Alzheimer's Foundation of America
322 Eighth Avenue
7th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Telephone: 866-AFA-8484 (232-8484)
Fax: 646-638-1546
E-mail: info@alzfdn.org
Website: http://www.alzfdn.org

Do you know of an organization? Send us your suggestions.

Living With Living With

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Community Resources

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has information on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues related to this condition. JAN is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy in the U.S. Department of Labor.

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

The Alzheimer's Association provides information on the genetics of Alzheimer disease, including information on Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease
Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) leads a national program of research on the biomedical, social, and behavioral aspects of the aging process; the prevention of age-related diseases and disabilities; and the promotion of a better quality of life for all older Americans. Click on the link to view information on this topic.

In-Depth Information

The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Related Diseases Related Diseases

The following diseases are related to Early-onset, autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease. If you have a question about any of these diseases, you can contact GARD.

Alzheimer disease
Alzheimer disease type 1
Alzheimer disease type 3
Alzheimer disease type 4
Familial Alzheimer disease

GARD Answers GARD Answers

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.