Will I Get Alzheimer’s Disease if One of My Parents Has It?
While there are genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, the question of risk related to a family history of Alzheimer’s is a complicated area of ongoing research. Most cases of Alzheimer’s…up to 75%…are not inherited, especially those cases where the disease starts at an older age. So, chances are that my risk is not too much higher than that of the general public, even though my mother died from the disease two years ago.
That said, anyone who has a first-degree relative (mother, father, brother, or sister) who had Alzheimer’s has an increased risk of getting the disease — probably because of shared genes. Since we can do absolutely nothing about the genes with which we were born, it is up to us to take preventive measures. The prevailing medical opinion is that the steps for preventing Alzheimer’s are the same as those for preventing heart disease: healthy diet, exercise, and keeping blood pressure and cholesterol under control. Some research also suggests that keeping your mind active doing puzzles, playing games, reading, going to museums, etc. is helpful in preventing Alzheimer’s. In other words, staying active professionally, socially and physically is one of the best things you can do to keep your brain healthy and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s.
The symptoms of Alzheimer’s (cognitive problems with thinking, speaking, reasoning, understanding, remembering, planning, and demonstrating good judgment) are only one part of the prevention puzzle. Other parts also need to be considered — there is an association with Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and a lack of glutathione in the brain.