Determining your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and how you can lower it
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and professionals are educating the public on their risks of developing Alzheimer’s.
For many, Alzheimer’s can seem like a death sentence, but very few actually know what happens to the brain when someone develops the disease. Through decades of research, though, doctors now have a clear understanding as to what happens.
“There is accumulation of proteins okay. These proteins are called amyloid proteins, and these proteins clump, and when they do that, they affect the ability of the brain cells to talk to each other. And they also lead to the brain cells dying, especially the ones that are in the area that affect cognition,” said Dr. Eme Igbokwe a neurologist with Graves Gilbert Clinic.
While the thought of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can be a scary one, researchers share there are ways for an individual to reduce their risk.
“Live an active life of care to ensuring that you get enough reading, doing puzzles, avoiding habits like smoking, being active. People have talked about a rule of said it’s food. The food, that has a high degree of antioxidants, these are foods like fruits, berries in particular,” Igbokwe said. Igbokwe also says other foods, such as fish, hold certain proteins that can help keep the brain healthy.
Early detection, though, is the best way to tackle the disease. Research now suggests that through a simple blood test, they are able to look at a specific gene called apolipoprotein E that could determine one’s chances of developing the disease. The protein is classified in three categories, E-2, E-3 and E-4. E-2 carries a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease, E-3 carries a neutral risk and E-4 carries an advanced risk. Each person gets one from both their mother and their father.
“That test is available. It’s a simple test to draw the blood. In a few days time, we get a result that would tell us, you know, the the, your type, your, your genotype. That also helps us as we try to assess the risk of the person if someone has two copies of E4, that that’s a bad sign that a person will likely have Alzheimer’s. Somebody who has two copies of E2. That’s a good situation. That means the person’s risk is reduced,” Igbokwe said.
With the continued funding in research into Alzheimer’s disease, medical professionals are optimistic about the future of Alzheimer’s prevention and detection.
