Analysis of genetics and risk factors of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's Disease is the leading neurodegenerative cause of dementia. The pathogenesis is not clearly understood yet, is believed to be the complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Consequently vascular risk factors and Apolipoprotein E genotyping are increasingly gaining importance. This study aimed at assessing the relationships between Alzheimer's Disease and Apolipoprotein E phenotype and vascular risk factors. Patients diagnosed with "possible Alzheimer's Disease" in the Gazi University, Department of Neurology, were included in the study and age-matched volunteer patients who attended the polyclinic were included as a control group. In this study, the risk factors including low education level, smoking, hyperlipidemia, higher serum total cholesterol levels, and hyperhomocysteinemia were found to be statistically significantly more common in the Alzheimer's Disease group in comparison to the Control Group, while all Apolipoprotein E ε4/ε4 genotypes were found in the Alzheimer's Disease group. The presence of the Apolipoprotein E ε4 allele is believed to increase vascular risk factors as well as to affect Alzheimer's Disease directly. The biological indicators which are used in identifying the patients' genes will be probably used in the treatment plan of the patients in the future.

The evaluation of long-term effects of ionizing radiation through measurement of current sister chromatid exchange (SCE) rates in radiology technologists, compared with previous SCE values.

Ionizing radiation is a strong physical mutagen, causing breakage of phosphodiester bonds in DNA at any stage of the mitotic cycle. Analysis of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) has come into use as a sensitive DNA-damage indicator. We investigated the SCE rates in radiology technologists who are occupationally and chronically exposed to ionizing radiation. The study included 39 radiology technologists and 35 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. There was a statistically significant difference in the SCE frequency between radiology technologists and controls (p<0.0001). Additionally, previous SCE data of 10 radiology technologists were compared with current results regarding radiation exposure time. There was statistically significant difference between previous and current SCE values (p=0.005). The significant increase in the frequency of SCE in radiology technologists emphasizes the importance of radiation-protection procedures in order to minimize radiation exposure and avoid possible genotoxic effects. Comparison of two studies that measured SCE values of radiology technologists after 8 years also suggests that the genotoxic effect is reversible. In conclusion, radiation is still an important mutagenic agent despite improvements in daily working hours and conditions.