Two teams of European scientists say they have discovered new genetic variants associated with Alzheimer

People have a deep desire to communicate with animals, as is evident from the way they converse with their dogs, enjoy myths about talking animals or devote lifetimes to teaching chimpanzees how to speak. A delicate, if tiny, step has now been taken toward the real thing: the creation of a mouse with a human gene for language.

The era of personal genomic medicine may have to wait. The genetic analysis of common disease is turning out to be a lot more complex than expected.

David B. Goldstein of Duke University is among the geneticists who are debating which path to follow in disease research.