A domestic research team says it has discovered the gene that causes dementia.

The research team, led by Seoul National University medical professor Seo Yoo-hyun, discovered that the presence of a gene called “S100a9” increases in frequency in the brains of dementia patients.

The gene is usually found in white blood corpuscles, but its exact function has yet to be identified.

The research team also found that restraining the synthesis of proteins in the gene can help prevent the disease to some extent.

Seo expects the findings will enhance the possibility of developing a treatment for dementia.

The research results were published in the online biology and medical journal PLoS One.