Why Didn’t She Get Alzheimer’s? The Answer Could Hold a Key to Fighting the Disease

Researchers have found a woman with a rare genetic mutation that has protected her from dementia even though her brain has developed major neurological features of the disease. The woman’s genetic profile showed she would develop Alzheimer’s by the time she turned 50. But remarkably, she experienced no cognitive decline at all until her 70s, nearly three decades later than expected. Researchers say the woman has another mutation that has protected her from dementia even though her brain has developed a major neurological feature of Alzheimer’s disease. This ultra rare mutation appears to help stave off the disease by minimizing the binding of a particular sugar compound to an important gene. That finding suggests that treatments could be developed to give other people that same protective mechanism.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/health/alzheimers-treatment-genetics.html

"The woman’s mutation is in an area of the APOE gene that binds with a sugar-protein compound called heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), which is involved in spreading tau in Alzheimer’s disease." This shows that they are gathering information to help put a stop to this disease that hurts many families mentally. I would rate this pain as a 0 because it is stopping the pain that is caused by Alzheimer's. I would say this is related to physiological. 

GEOG203