Some prominent researchers at the University of Miami have identified nine genes that are likely to raise the risk of Alzheimer's, taking one more stride toward the day when people can accurately assess their risk of the disease and take action to avoid it.

''We now have some exciting new directions to explore,'' Margaret Pericak-Vance, director of the Miami Institute for Human Genomics at the University of Miami Medical School, told the Miami Herald. ''This is important because a lot of the drugs used to fight it work best when they're started early.''

Pericak-Vance is one of the leading genetic sleuths involved in researching Alzheimer's disease. As new genetic clues to Alzheimer's are unveiled, it makes it increasingly likely that people at high risk of the disease will be able to adopt lifestyle changes or start early treatment, delaying onset of a condition that afflicts five million Americans. The study will be published in the January issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics.

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