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IVF embryos to undergo screening for early-onset Alzheimer's disease
A UK couple has received approval from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to have their IVF embryos screened or early onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD).
Alzheimer’s disease is characterised by adult-onset progressive dementia. The majority of cases are thought to involve a number of different genetic and environmental factors and only become apparent once a person reaches their seventies and eighties. In contrast, EOAD is a rare dominant genetic condition that can manifest from the age of 35.
The couple involved have a strong family history of EOAD; the man’s mother and two uncles died prematurely from the condition. Although the man in question does not know himself whether he carries the disease mutation, the couple do not wish to run the risk of passing it onto their child. The Bridge Centre in London has been granted a licence to screen embryos to ensure that the specific chromosome that could carry the disease mutation is not passed on to the child.
In determining whether embryo screening would be appropriate for EOAD, the HFEA looked at eight factors including the degree of suffering and the speed of degeneration associated with the condition. Although EOAD is an adult-onset disorder, the decision to allow PGD in this instance is less controversial than for some previous decisions where the conditions show reduced penetrance (see previous news), or cause non-progressive and non-life threatening symptoms (see previous news).