Activation of apoptotic pathways through caspase-mediated cell death contributes to progressive neuronal death in AD [57-60], and we observed age-related increases in cleaved (activated) caspases 3 and 6 as early as 3 months of age in Aldh2-/- mice (Figure 6D, 6E). The gene discussed is ALDH2; the disease is Alzheimer disease.