A mutation in a newly discovered small protein is connected to a significant increase in the risk for Alzheimer's disease, expanding the known gene targets for the disease and presenting a new potential avenue for treatment, according to a new USC study.

The protein, called SHMOOSE, is a tiny "microprotein" encoded by a newly discovered gene within the cell's energy-producing mitochondria. A mutation within this gene partially inactivates the SHMOOSE microprotein and is associated with a 20-50 % higher risk for Alzheimer's disease across four different cohorts. Nearly a quarter of people of European ancestry have the mutated version of the protein, according to the researchers.

The research appears Wednesday, September 21 in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

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