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You are here: Home / Newsletter / Is Alzheimer’s inherited? How family history affects your risk

Is Alzheimer’s inherited? How family history affects your risk

September 28, 2018 tony dearing 4 Comments

Anyone diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment is at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

But if you already have Alzheimer’s in your family, you can’t help but be even more worried about your own risk.

What if your mother or father or another close relative has Alzheimer’s? Does that mean you’ll get it too?

Here is what you need to know about family history, genetics and Alzheimer’s.

Want to know more about family history, genetics and Alzheimer’s? Here are some good resources:

Harvard Health Letter: Alzheimer’s in the family — https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/alzheimers-in-the-family

Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation: Alzheimer’s Risk Factors — http://alzheimersprevention.org/alzheimers-info/risk-factors/

Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry: The role of genetics: Will I get Alzheimer’s disease? — https://www.endalznow.org/news/the-role-genetics-will-i-get-alzheimers-disease

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Comments

  1. Deane Alban says

    September 30, 2018 at 10:59 AM

    That was beautiful and very encouraging. One of my pet peeves is genetic testing that scares the pants off people who believe if they have one Alzheimer’s gene they are doomed. This video does a great job explaining why that fear is unfounded.

    Reply
    • tony dearing says

      October 1, 2018 at 9:57 AM

      Thanks, Deane, this is a question I get asked a lot, because this disease is touching so many families, and people assume the worst. Hopefully this will help reduce their anxiety. And good point about genetic tests. It’s strongly, strongly recommended that people get genetic counseling before they decide whether they want to be tested for the APOE gene, and frankly, most people are probably better off not knowing.

      Reply
  2. Connie says

    October 2, 2018 at 2:35 PM

    I have Early Onset ALZ. I don’t know about these studies, but I feel that they are not accurate in some of these instances. I had several relatives whom passed away wit ALZ. I was a teacher and was active. My diet was and is a normal. The only thing that was different was that I have Fibromyalgia and Sleep Apnea. I never drink alcohol. I guess that fate decided to search me out and give me ALZ.??? Really???

    Reply
    • tony dearing says

      October 2, 2018 at 5:12 PM

      This is a ruel disease and one of the great unfairnesses of it is that, as any neurologist will acknowledge, you can do everything right and still get Alzheimer’s, just as someone with a relatively lower risk can get it while someone with a relatively higher risk doesn’t get it. The statistics here are accurate across large populations, and may provide some perspective to people who don’t have it, but they are of no consolation to anyone diagnosed with early-onset AD, and I completely understand why you would question them in light of your own family’s experience. My thoughts sincerely are with you and your family.

      Reply

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