It has been seen lately by the researchers at UCLA that the people in the United States who are of European origin are carrying a gene in them which puts them at a high risk for Alzheimer's disease.

According to Paul Thompson, a UCLA Professor of Neurology, who directed this study, this kind of gene defect in large number of people was seen for the first time.

It has been seen that the genetic research would bring modern medicine into area of health prediction.

Rancho Cucamonga resident Violet Hanna, 27, an economics major at UC Riverside said that it was really important to do anything which reduced risk of disease. To have the information of having this gene or not could lead in healthy lifestyle changes.

Monica Alvarado, who is the Southern California regional Genetic Services Administrator with Kaiser Permanente, said that it was important to get the tests done with counseling and the counseling should happen before during and after the test.

"The results are curious. If you have the bad FTO gene, your weight affects your brain adversely in terms of tissue loss. If you don't carry this gene, higher body weight doesn't translate into brain defects", said Thompson.