(March 10, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Those who have two parents who develop Alzheimer's disease are at a substantially increased risk for developing the condition themselves, according to research published in the Archives of Neurology.

Here is some information on Alzheimer's disease:

•    It is a progressive and, ultimately, fatal brain disease named after the German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906.

•    It is the most common form of dementia, a word used to refer to a decline in memory and other intellectual functioning that can affect daily life.

•    While it currently has no cure, there are treatments that can slow the progression of the disease and help ease symptoms. Your doctor can tell you what treatments might be right for you or your loved ones.

Researchers from the University of Washington studied the frequency of Alzheimer's disease among the adult children of 111 families in which both parents had been clinically diagnosed with the condition. They also noted the age of onset of symptoms and the presence of the condition in other family members.

During the study period, 297 offspring of two parents with Alzheimer's disease reached adulthood. Among these individuals, 22% went on to develop Alzheimer's disease themselves, a substantial portion given that the general population develops the disease at a rate of about 6 to 13%. In addition, the investigators believe this is an underestimate because most of those who did not develop the condition were not yet 70 years old. Many people with Alzheimer's disease do not develop symptoms before this age.  Having additional family members who had developed Alzheimer's disease in addition to one's parents reduced the average age of diagnosis by as much as 15 years.

Today's research highlights the role of genetics in the development of Alzheimer's disease, since family history of the disorder has a major impact on one's risk of developing the condition.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Allison Chow.