Alzheimer’s Disease is debilitating. It usually begins after the age of 65. The cause is multifactorial, but there are those who have a 2-12x increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s if they have the Apo E gene.
What is the Apo E gene?
- There are three forms of the ApoE gene. One form, APOE e2, reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s. This gene is rare. APOE e3 is the most common form of the gene and does not affect your Alzheimer risk.
- APOE e4 is the bad gene, and it increases the risk of Alzheimer’s and the risk of getting a worse form of Alzheimer’s. This is a “risk” gene – it does NOT guarantee it will happen.
- You get two genes when you are born. One from your mom and one from your dad.
- One copy of e4 version —> 2-3x Alzheimer’s risk
- Two copies of e4 gene —-> 8-12 x Alzheimer’s risk
- NOT EVERYONE WHO GETS THE e4 variant will get Alzheimer’s.
- You can get Alzheimer’s even without the e4 gene.
- The APOE e4 gene is most frequently seen in White, European descent.
Who should test?
This test may be helpful for late onset Alzheimer symptoms or high family history of Alzheimer’s. Currently it is not routinely tested for, but if you have family history in your family, it is good to know for current medical treatments and family planning.
There are other genes implicated in early onset Alzheimer’s. These genes are rare. “Early onset” is when you see symptoms before age 65, even as early as late 30’s. These genes cause too much of a protein called amyloid beta peptide, which then builds up in the brain to form amyloid plaques, which is toxic to the brain nerves, causing Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. Tau proteins also build up, forming tau tangles which affect the brain. These genes are associated with a high certainty of of Alzheimer’s development, but they only account for less than 0.2% of all cases.
The three found with early onset Alzheimer’s disease (before age 65) are:
- Amyloid precursor protein (APP), on chromosome 21
- Presenilin 1 (PSEN1), on chromosome 14
- Presenilin 2 (PSEN2), on chromosome 1
Again, Alzheimer’s is multifactorial. Not all early onset Alzheimer’s have these genes either.
How can Biohackr Health help?
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- TEST. We offer APOE e4 testing.
- EDUCATE. Read the blogs about dementia and brain health. Alzheimer’s is multifactorial, and there are many lifestyle changes you can make for better brain health.
- LOSE WEIGHT. Semaglutide and tirzepatide, GLP 1 agonists, have been shown to decrease dementia progression.
- Brain IV, glucose control, and other modalities. See our anti-aging page.