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Who Is Most Likely to Exhibit Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable and unpreventable disease. There are certain risk factors that Alzheimer's patients have in common. However, the exact cause of the disease is unknown.

  1. Age of Patient

    • Age is the main risk factor. According to Medicinenet.com, "Ten percent of people over 65 years of age and 50% of those over 85 years of age have Alzheimer's disease." As age increases, the likelihood of an Alzheimer's diagnosis increases.

      Early-onset Alzheimer's is when a patient under 65 years of age is diagnosed. Roughly 500,000 patients under the age of 65 have the disease.

    Genetics

    • A specific gene, apolipoprotein E-e4 (APOE-e4), has been tied to an increased risk of Alzheimer's. Inheriting one or two copies of the gene increases the risk of contracting the disease. Another set of genes, called deterministic genes, have also been shown to pass on the disease; however, deterministic genes affect only a few hundred families worldwide.

    Family History

    • Research indicates that those who have a close family member (parent, sibling, or child) with the disease are more likely to develop it themselves. If more than one family member has the disease, the likelihood of contracting Alzheimer's increases significantly.

    Head Injury, Other Conditions

    • Severe head trauma has been linked to the development of the disease later in life. There is also a connection between patients who suffer from high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. The evidence suggests that heart health is connected to brain health.

    Warning

    • Alzheimer's is a disease that can only be confirmed by a medical professional. If you feel you have risk factors that coincide with the disease, talk to your doctor. Early detection is the most important factor in dealing with the disease.

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