Is there a genetic test which can predict alzhiemers ?

Question

My mother had alzhiemers disease in her 50's. If I am going to get it, I will quit stashing money in savings and live for today.

I probably should save my money for a great nursing home. I have 6 siblings and we all worry about it. I am not sure I want to know.
Mom only lived to be 63 years old. She went from balancing the checkbook and managing a whole home to not being able
to find the bathroom and when she got their, didn't know what she was supposed to do. I was 29 when she died. She aspirated and died from aspiration pneumonia. She went from 155lbs to about 95 lbs and it was so sad.

Answer 1

Purple is absolutely correct and to get tested you would have to go to a university setting where they study these genes. I know that University of Calfornia, San Francisco does this type of testing.

However before getting you genes tested, think it through. Would knowing that you have the gene in anyway help you? And if you did test positive, wouldn't your health insurance have a field day with it? Oh yeah.....they would give you health insurance. I'm just saying to consider all the ramification of gene testing before doing it.

Answer 2

My great grandmother and her mother both had Alzheimer's and now my nan is showing signs of it, apparently it runs in my family and from what i know for me there is also the chance of getting it as well as my mother but i ain't worried and neither should you be.

I know how bad the disease can be but well there is also the chance u may not get it.

Just live your life from day to day and when it does come up you can deal with it then.

I save abit each month and if ever in the future i do get it i can go in2 a home where others can take care of me and if i don't get it then i have some money 2 spend on whatever i like.

Answer 3

Hello. The biggest risk factor is age, but in your case, you are at higher risk for two reasons: (1) there's a higher risk if you have a 1st degree relative such as a parent; (2) there's higher risk if your family member was diagnosed when they were young.

You can get tested for a gene called "apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 genotype", which can cause alzheimer's in half of the people w/ this gene. But you won't find this test easily. Contact your local major university hospital or contact the National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov) I'm sorry to hear about your mom. We don't know a whole lot about alzheimer's but the NIH may be interested in you, there's a lot of research focusing on prevention, and sometimes they'll pay your airfare & hotel. Good luck!...DrP

Answer 4

No test, but Johns Hopkins did a careful study that showed that people who supplemented their diet with 250 mg vitamin C and 400 Units of vitamin E every day had a much lower incidence of the disease.

Answer 5

I believe there are some preliminary testing available. I know there are NEW medications out there that helps with Alzheimer's.

Unfortunately it is HEREDITARY. Generations of families can have this. I know. My grandmother had it, my mother has it and I show signs of it. MEMORY loss being the most predominant!

Answer 6

No. It does run in families, but there are identical twin studies in which one twin gets it and the other doesn't. They say that one of the best ways to keep from getting it is to exercise your brain--do logic puzzles, crosswords, stuff that keeps all the parts of your brain working together well. There have also been studies that say exercise and healthy eating help prevent it.

Answer 7

right now scientist have identified the chromosmes that contain the genes that are involved in alzheimer, there's still lots of research to do because this disease is not quite understood... maybe they could do you an exhausitive test to see if you have anormalities in these genes, of course it will cost millions