Polymorphisms within the prion (PrP) and prion-like protein (Doppel) genes in AD.

The authors present a study on the association of PRNP and PRND gene polymorphisms with the occurrence and age at onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). DNA from 79 Polish patients with probable AD and 107 healthy control subjects was studied. The PRNP codon 129 homozygosity seemed to be associated with the occurrence of AD: In AD patients, the percentage of Val/Val and Met/Met genotypes was higher than in the control subjects. A significant difference appeared also between early-onset (<70 years) and late-onset (> or = 70 years) AD patients in the PRND genotypes.