A gene SIRT1 has been found that has been linked to the ageing process which is also associated to Alzheimer's disease (AD).

MIT biology professor Leonard Guarente and his teammates when experimented that mice were engineered to develop Alzheimer's plaques and symptoms, saw a significant improvement in case of learning and memory deficits when SIRT1 was overgrown in brain and was seen to be on rise when the gene was deleted.

The gene comes in handy to fight Alzheimer's, says Guarente. Alzheimer's disease has been considered to be a neurodegenerative disorder that offers memory impairment and other cognitive disorders.

The SIRT1 gene is helps produce proteins called sirtuins that help control cell activities, especially those involved in stress response and calorie deprivation.

Guarente has earlier been famed about 15 years ago when he found that the yeast version of the gene, SIR2, that offers longevity in case of yeast.