Rare Gene Trait found in Old Order Amish may Lead to Breakthroughs in Heart Protection
"A rare genetic abnormality found in people in an insular Amish community protects them from heart disease…"
According to a recent Reuters report, the unusual gene trait found in about 5 percent of certain Amish people living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, may help to bring about more effective preventive medicine against heart disease.
The study, out of University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, found that the Amish who have this genetic mutation have low triglycerides. The reason is, their bodies have just one instead of two of the genes that produce the protein which slows triglyceride breakdown. (Photo by: Neal Lauron/Reuters)
Toni Pollin, who led the research, stated that the discovery "gives us clues that ultimately could develop future treatments."
Dr. Alan Shuldiner, another researcher noted that, "The Old Order Amish are ideal for genetic research because they are a genetically homogenous people who trace their ancestry back 14 generations to a small group that came to Pennsylvania from Europe in the mid-1700s."
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