Stolen Soul: Decoding the Genetic Causes of Dementia in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Author: Rudolf Tanzi, Ann Pearson
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: With the complete unraveling of the human genome, the heroic era of gene hunting will also come to an end. In that heroic age, scientists vied for the lead in major medical breakthroughs to unveil the mysteries of diseases. Tanzi was one of these heroes, and along with Pearson, he candidly narrates this fascinating long story. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease has also increased with the average human lifespan. At the beginning of this century, it was predicted that there would be 40 million people worldwide suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Initially, this disease was mostly discovered in the elderly, so it was considered a phenomenon of aging. Through the exploration of genetics and molecular biology, scientists found that the disease can be divided into early-onset and late-onset types. The former manifests before the age of 60, while the latter occurs after 60, with the proportion increasing with age. The genes associated with these two types of diseases are also different. This book provides a detailed description of the competition among scientists in their pursuit of genes, while also exposing the human side of scientists, including the scramble for credit and falsification of data. The book cites many specialized terms in genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology, such as nucleic acids, proteins, oligonucleotides, and Southern blotting. Beginners may need to spend some effort to understand these terms, but it is believed that these terms will gradually become general knowledge in the "post-genomic era." For students interested in pursuing research in neuroscience, the book also provides clear guidance on how to find genes and how to use rapid screening and automated analysis to find effective treatments or preventive drugs. The content of the book is narrated in a semi-autobiographical style, with the main character Tanzi describing how he abandoned his beloved music career to pursue neuroscience research. During his doctoral studies, although he made many important discoveries and published them in top journals, he was delayed in graduating because he did not meet the original direction of his doctoral thesis. Later, he led his own laboratory and persisted in researching Alzheimer's disease, which indeed has a motivational and inspirational effect on young people.