The Apoe Alzheimers Gene Changes Your Brain
Ever wondered why you needs so much omega-3 and other healthy fats to stay healthy? Its because youre basically carrying a big lump of 99.9% fat around in your skull.
So we need a good system to transport all the different fats around our brains to the right places. Thats where a clever little protein called Apolipoprotein E comes in.
Should You Be Tested For The Alzheimers Gene
Anyone who has a family member with Alzheimers disease worries: Does Alzheimers run in my family? Will I also go on to develop the disease?
Concerns about Alzheimers may become particularly pressing in older people who may be experiencing memory issues of their own. Genetic testing for Alzheimers is available through consumer testing companies like 23andMe. For one to two hundred dollars, you can send in a test swab of saliva or a cheek swab or blood specimen and find out if you carry a gene that increases your risk of developing Alzheimers.
But just because you can get tested, doesnt mean you should get tested. Because while a direct-to-consumer genetic test can inform you on a risk level, it cannot determine for certain whether you will develop Alzheimers disease. While some forms of Alzheimers are inherited , particularly early-onset forms of the disease that crop up as early as a persons 30s or 40s, most cases of Alzheimers arise in older adults and are thought to be influenced not just by a single gene mutation like in FADs, but rather by several genes and also by lifestyle factors like diet and exercise.
One gene in particular has received a lot of attention: the APOE gene, which codes for a protein called apolipoprotein E that affects how cholesterol and other fats are processed in the body. Each of us carries two copies of the APOE gene, one inherited from our mother, and the other from our father.
So should you get tested for APOE-E4?
Apoe And Alzheimer’s Disease Risk
Of all the risk genes identified so far, APOE has been found to have the strongest genetic link to Alzheimer’s disease. It forms part of a mechanism that transports cholesterol around the body, including in the brain.
The APOE gene has three different forms, called variants 2, 3 and 4. These variants have slight differences in their DNA patterns. Like most genes, we inherit one form of APOE from each of our parents. Inheriting variant 4 has been shown to increase risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, with the greatest risk occurring for those who inherit two copies. The variant 2 form of the gene has been linked to a slightly reduced risk. This is due to the changes in the genes having different effects on the way that the gene behaves. The reason behind why these changes influence Alzheimer’s development is so far unclear.
Inheriting one or two copies of APOE variant 4 does not mean that you will definitely develop Alzheimer’s. It just means that you are more likely to develop the condition than someone who does not have any copies of APOE variant 4. Conversely, inheriting variants 2 or 3 of the gene does not mean that you are protected from getting Alzheimer’s disease.
It is likely that a combination of several different genes determines your risk of being affected by the common form of Alzheimer’s disease. The self-testing kits do not check for any of these other risk genes.
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What Is The Difference Between Alzheimer’s And Dementia
First, some explanation of dementia vs. Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability that interferes with daily life. Not a normal part of aging, most dementias are typically caused by damaged brain cells.
Of all the dementias, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common, accounting for 60-80% of the cases. In other words, it is a specific disease while “dementia” is a general term for a life-altering decline in brain function .
How Is Alzheimers Disease Diagnosed
If you are concerned about symptoms, its important to talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. As part of its Healthy Brain Initiative, the CDC emphasizes the importance of early detection, which gives people and their healthcare providers information, care, and support for their diagnosis.
According to the CDC, people are typically not aware that they have the condition through much later. Its only when symptoms become increasingly disruptive, for instance when someone gets lost in a familiar place, that leads to the condition first getting diagnosed.
A doctor evaluating someone with early signs of Alzheimers disease may do cognitive tests and then refer them to a specialist for further testing. Some of those additional tests may include brain imaging and/or lab tests to look for signs of the disease, which can include structural changes in the brain or changes in levels of certain types of proteins.
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A doctor will perform a physical exam to evaluate your mental processes. He or she will also ask you about any medications youre currently taking and any stressful situations youre facing. Your memory loss provider may also ask you about your symptoms and ask you to take notes on how youre feeling. The doctor may recommend that you get an appointment with a neuropsychologist. A neuropsychologist can help you figure out the best way to treat your memory loss.
A doctor will conduct a physical exam to determine the exact cause of your memory loss. He or she will also ask you about your medical history and whether youve experienced other forms of memory loss. After your medical history, your provider will discuss your options for treatment. If youre experiencing severe symptoms of memory loss, you should seek out a professional. It will help you get the right kind of care for your specific situation. So, take action today.
A healthcare provider will perform a physical exam to assess the condition of your memory. He or she will ask you about your family and friends and any medications youre taking. Once he or she has established the root cause, a proper treatment will be given. If you have a mild form of memory loss, you can still function independently and perform everyday tasks. If your symptoms are more severe, you may need to see a medical professional.
What Role Do Our Genes Play In Dementia
As dementia is so common, many of us will have a relative living with the condition but this does not mean we will develop it too.
Dementia is caused by diseases that affect the brain, such as Alzheimers disease. The likelihood of developing dementia will usually depend on a complex mix of factors like our age, medical history and lifestyle, as well as our genes. Most cases of dementia are not directly caused by genes we inherit from our parents.
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What Are The Benefits Of Diagnostic Testing
Diagnostic testing for dementia can be helpful in several ways:
- It can provide certainty about the persons diagnosis. This may then help the person and their family to come to terms with the diagnosis and allow them to plan for the future.
- It can help them decide if they want to have children and, if so, how they might avoid passing the disease on.
- It makes it possible for members of the persons family to have predictive testing if they want to.
Dementia Affects The Person Diagnosed But Also Raises Fears For Siblings And Children Here Are The Facts
After a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, families face fears and difficult medical decisions.
Alzheimer’s disease represents a personal health crisis, but it’s also a family concern. What does it mean for your children or siblings if you are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s? What does it mean for you if a close relative develops the condition?
“People think that if their dad or aunt or uncle had Alzheimer’s disease, they are doomed. But, no, that’s not true,” says Dr. Gad Marshall, assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. “Even though family history adds to the overall risk, age still usually trumps it quite a bit. It means your risk is higher, but it’s not that much higher, if you consider the absolute numbers.”
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Does A Negative Result Mean A Person Won’t Get Dementia
No. A person with a negative result on a predictive genetic test may still develop dementia. The predictive test only shows whether a person will develop the type of dementia that is related to that specific single-gene change. It does not rule out the possibility of that person developing dementia because of other factors.
Predictive Testing And Genetic Counselling
Predictive testing can be stressful. If a person receives a positive test result, they will know for certain that they will develop dementia. This can be very difficult information to take in.
For this reason, predictive genetic testing will only be done with genetic counselling both before and after the test. This is to make sure that the person is aware of what it means to have the result of a genetic test, both for them and for their family. Many people have counselling but dont then go on to take a test.
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Most Cases Of Alzheimers Are Not Caused By A Single Gene
The good news is that most cases of Alzheimers disease are not passed along by a single gene. Among the millions of people in the world affected by AD, those known to have developed the disease due to the inheritance of a single gene account for a very small percentage.
The bad news is that even without inheriting one of the genes that are known to transmit AD, the disease is still a significant health risk for any older adult.
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Eating a healthy diet is an excellent memory loss remedy. It should consist of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains and low-fat proteins. Avoid alcohol and drugs, which can also cause confusion and memory loss. Its important to follow your doctors recommendations, and review your medications regularly. If you suspect a medical condition, you may want to consult a medical professional for a diagnosis and treatment. This way, a physician can prescribe the right medication. Can You Find Out if You Have the Alzheimers Gene?
Eating a healthy diet is an effective memory loss remedy. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can improve your memory. A balanced diet can also help you to retain information longer. Try to consume at least five servings of these foods a day. The berries contain anthocyanins and flavonoids, which can be very helpful in fighting memory loss. A study of 16,000 women found that those who ate more berries were less likely to suffer from cognitive decline. Turmeric root contains a substance called curcumin, which is found in high concentrations. This compound is a powerful antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory effects.
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What Are The Claims About Genetic Testing Kits
There have been some stories in the news about buying kits that can tell you about your genetic makeup. These kits include testing for genes that can influence your risk of developing certain conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease.
However, the genetics behind Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is complex and these kits cannot tell the complete story about a person’s risk of developing the condition.
Health + Ancestry Service
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease, but does not describe a persons overall risk of developing the disease. The test is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatment. The Late-Onset Alzheimers Disease genetic health risk report is indicated for reporting of the 4 variant in the APOE gene and describes if a person has a variant associated with an increased risk of developing late-onset Alzheimers disease. The 4 variant included in this report is found and has been studied in many ethnicities. Detailed risk estimates have been studied the most in people of European descent.
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Dementia And Family Planning
If someone is known to carry a single-gene change that causes dementia, this may affect their plans to start a family. This is because there is a 1 in 2 chance of inheriting the same changed gene for any children they have.
In these cases, it is possible to try an approach called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis .
Genetic Research For Alzheimers Disease
Researchers think there are probably many more genes that affect the risk of Alzheimerâs. Discovery of these genes will help doctors:
- Understand the disease better and learn why it affects certain people in certain ways
- Learn more about what increases your risk of getting it
- Identify people who are at higher risk so they can home in on preventive care
- Develop new treatments
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Information About Genetic Testing
Having a test to look for a faulty gene that causes dementia is only appropriate for a very small number of people. This is because inherited dementia is rare.
If you are worried that you have a strong history family of young onset Alzheimers disease or frontotemporal dementia, you can speak to your doctor about this.
Not all gene mutations that cause dementia have been identified, meaning that some families may have many affected members, but no mutation can be found. Therefore, a negative test result cannot always rule out a genetic cause of a disease.
If a test is appropriate, your doctor should be able to refer you to a genetic counsellor or specialist. This could be a cognitive neurologist or memory clinic psychiatrist. They will discuss with you the pros and cons of taking a test and what will be involved. They will also tell you where the results will be kept, who they will be shared with, and what the next steps would be. For people found to have a genetic mutation that causes dementia, these discussions will also cover the options available if you are considering starting a family.
To find out more about genetic testing and what support is available you can visit www.raredementiasupport.org or call 020 3325 0828. Leave a message and you will be referred to the most appropriate team member.
What Is Alzheimer Disease 1
Alzheimer disease is an adult-onset progressive dementia. It is relatively common and the overall lifetime risk of developing dementia is 10-12%. Seventy-five percent of AD cases are sporadic, of unknown cause and usually have late onset of symptoms. Twenty-five percent of AD cases are familial and are composed of two types:
- Early-onset familial AD with a mean age of onset < 60-65 years
- Late-onset familial AD with a mean age of onset of > 60-65 years
Three genes have been associated with early-onset familial AD amyloid precursor protein , presenilin 1 , and presenilin 2 . Each of the identified genes is involved in production of the amyloid ß peptide, a major component of amyloid plaques. Early-onset familial AD follows an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.1
While information about the genetic factors involved in late-onset familial AD is limited, this type of AD has been associated with apolipoprotein E gene variations. These are considered a risk modifier, especially APOE e4. Some data suggest that a young asymptomatic person with two copies of the APOE e4 allele may have an increased lifetime risk of developing AD and a lower age of onset of AD compared to persons who have only one or no copies of the APOE e4 allele. Approximately 20-25% of the general population carry one or more copies of the APOE e4 alleles.2 Approximately 42% of persons with AD do NOT have an APOE e4 allele.1 APOE e4 is neither necessary nor sufficient for the disease.3
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Can You Find Out If You Have The Alzheimers Gene
While there is no perfect memory loss remedy, there are several things that you can do to prevent it. First of all, exercising regularly can help keep your lungs in good shape. People who get regular exercise have better memories, and a regular exercise program can reduce stress. Additionally, exercising can help prevent memory loss by keeping your mind active. Here are some of the best ways to make your brain healthier and keep your mind sharp. Read on to learn more. Can You Find Out if You Have the Alzheimers Gene?
What Are The Benefits Of Predictive Testing
Having the test can be helpful for the following reasons:
- It can remove the anxiety of not knowing especially as the person approaches the age at which any symptoms of dementia are likely to start.
- It can give the person the option of entering into a clinical trial.
- It can help with family planning.
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Genes And Late Onset Alzheimers Disease
Late onset Alzheimers disease affects people over the age of 65. It is the most common type of Alzheimers and is likely to be caused by a combination of risk factors including our age, lifetsyle and environment. Our genetics also play a part.
To date, scientists have found versions of over twenty different genes that are associated with an altered risk of developing Alzheimers disease. However, having one of these versions may only have a small effect on our total risk. There is still a lot to be understood about these genes and their role in the development of late onset Alzheimers.
The most well known gene with the largest effect on our risk is called APOE. This gene makes a protein that helps keep our brain cells healthy. There are three different versions of it APOE2, APOE3 and APOE4 and we inherit one version of the APOE gene from each parent.
People who inherit one copy of APOE4 are around three times more likely to develop Alzheimers disease. About one in fifty people inherit two copies of APOE4 one from each parent. They may be more than eight times more likely to develop Alzheimers. However, due to other contributing factors, such as age and lifestyle, people who inherit APOE4 still may never develop the disease.
More information about young onset Alzheimers disease can be found here.
Is genetic testing available for young onset Alzheimers?
You can read a personal account about deciding to be tested for a gene mutation on our blog here.