Alzheimer's disease in a nutshell
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that have, once again, gained the spotlight because of the recent news that Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth has a heightened risk of developing it.
In case you missed it, the 39-year-old Australian actor, known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently learned that he has two copies of the gene APOE4 which he inherited from both his parents. This discovery was first revealed in his Disney+ documentary series Limitless. He underwent tests which confirmed his alarming risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in the future, forcing him to take some time off from acting.
For those who are left clueless as to the idea of Alzheimer's disease and gene APOE4, here's an overview of the condition and some of the steps you can take to assess your risk of having it.
According to the National Institute on Aging, Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible brain disorder and a type of dementia that causes issues with memory, cognition, and behavior. It is a progressive brain disease that is caused by complex brain changes following cell damage. Some of the most common symptoms of Alzheimer's are memory loss, decreased or poor judgment, difficulty completing familiar tasks, among others.
Now, how can you assess if you're at risk of having Alzheimer's? There are a few factors to consider when it comes to this.
Certain ages are more at risk
One of the most obvious risk factors is age. According to research, the vast majority of people who developed Alzheimer's had it after the age of 65. Once a person reaches 65 his risk of getting Alzheimer's then doubles every five years. But this doesn't necessarily mean that you aren't at risk of developing it at a younger age.
There are cases that experts call early-onset Alzheimer's wherein a person develops the disease between his/her 30s and mid-60s. Although this is possible to happen, it is considered a rare case.
Alzheimer's is also hereditary
Studies have also shown that family history increases the risk of an individual getting Alzheimer's. If you have multiple family members who have suffered from the disease, this heightens your risk of developing the disease.
Genetic factors of Alzheimer's
Here's where Chris Hemsworth's factor plays in. A gene called apolipoprotein E (APOE) is one of the most common risk genes for Alzheimer's. APOE3 is usually found in one of three forms. APOE3 is the most commonly found form of this gene that offers no increased risk of Alzheimer's.
APOE2, on the other hand, is the least common form and is the gene that has been found to reduce the risk of getting the disease. More common than APOE2 is APOE4 which is a gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer's. Those who inherit two APOE4 genes from their parents increase the risk even further.
According to the Jackson Laboratory, about 25 percent of people with one APOE4 gene develop the disease by the age of 85. The amount rises to 55 percent for people with two APOE4 genes.
Scientists have admitted that there is still no sure reason as to what causes Alzheimer's. Dr. Gad Marshall, associate medical director of clinical trials at the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, explains, “For 1% of all cases, there are three genes that determine definitively whether or not you will have Alzheimer's, and all three relate to amyloid-beta production, which in these cases is likely the cause of Alzheimer's.”
“For the other 99%, amyloid and tau are closely associated with Alzheimer's, but many things may contribute to the development of symptoms, such as inflammation in the brain, vascular risk factors, and lifestyle,” he further said.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, the best way to prevent the development of Alzheimer's is to improve one's lifestyle. Whether this may be through exercise, diet, and getting enough sleep.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Chris Hemsworth echoed the idea and shared, “If you look at Alzheimer's prevention, the benefit of preventative steps is that it affects the rest of your life. It's all about sleep management, stress management, nutrition, movement, fitness. It's all kind of the same tools that need to be applied in a consistent way.”
Watch Hemsworth's Limitless on Disney+.
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