About the Author

Rudolph E. Tanzi is Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital's Genetics and Aging Unit. Science journalist Ann B. Parson is co-author, with Isaac Schiff, M.D., of Menopause, and until recently taught in Boston University's graduate program in science and journalism.

Reviews

At the turn of the 21st century, Alzheimer's is the fourth leading cause of death of Americans. Twenty years ago, Tanzi, now a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of Massachusetts General Hospital's Genetics and Aging Unit, worked in a study examining the genetics of Huntington's disease, and while doing so he developed a method for locating disease genes and their proteins., Starting in the 1980s Tanzi applied these methods to the search for the cause or causes of Alzheimer's, a neurogenerative disease similar to Huntington's. In this fascinating storyDpart mystery, part scientific treatise, and part autobiographyDTanzi recounts every step along the way of the search. His own research rests on the hypothesis that deposits of the gummy protein amyloid form millions of plaques that settle between brain cells in the cerebral cortex as the result of a genetic mutation, and he chronicles the search for the gene that contains this mutation. Tanzi's tale (told with the help of science journalist Parson) is not just another sterile account of scientific discovery, as he weaves into his narrative the poignant stories of Alzheimer's families with whom he has worked and patiently guides readers through his own process of discovery and its implications for the future of Alzheimer's patients. (Nov.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Following Daniel Pollen's Hannah's Heirs (LJ 6/93; updated in 1996), this engrossing book is the second major account of the race to uncover the genetics behind Alzheimer's disease as told by one of its main players. Tanzi (neurology, Harvard Medical Sch.) and science journalist Parson discuss his research and the work of others that led to recent genetic discoveries associated with early-onset and late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The personal animosities and lab rivalries described here are reminiscent of the road to discovering the double helix, though Decoding Darkness lacks the crispness and clarity of James Watson's book. Tanzi and Parson also introduce a parallel thread that traces the progression of the disease in a single family, lending human interest to the subject. Written for the informed lay reader, this book will be better appreciated if the reader has some background in molecular genetics. More information on Alzheimer's is available in the "Resources" section. [Both Pollen and Tanzi are profiled in Charles Pierce's excellent Hard To Forget: An Alzheimer's Story (LJ 4/15/00).ÄEd.] ÄLeila Fernandez, Steacie Science Lib., York Univ., Toronto, Ont. Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.