A common mutation in a key enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism increases damage in cells from patients with Alzheimer’s disease and in mice, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
This mutation in aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, or ALDH2, is associated with facial redness following alcohol consumption. It causes the activity of the enzyme to be greatly reduced, resulting in the buildup of acetaldehyde, a toxic product of alcohol metabolism. The body responds to the presence of the toxin with skin flushing and inflammation. The mutation is prevalent in the East Asian population. The flushing response to alcohol among people who carry the…
