Staying Sharp | alive

Worsening memory isn’t the only symptom you should be watching out for. Genetics and risk Several genes increase your risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but your genetics don’t determine your destiny. “Scientific evidence shows that several lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, regardless of your genetic predisposition,” says Demetrius Maraganore, MD, who leads the Tulane Healthy Brain Aging Initiative in New Orleans. That said, genetic testing may help you and your health-care provider better focus your prevention efforts. “Consider getting genetically tested to see if you carry the apolipoprotein-e4 (APOE-e4) risk variant for Alzheimer’s disease,” says Maraganore. “APOE is one of the approximately 25,000 genes that you inherit—one copy from your mom and one copy from your dad.” The APOE-e4 variant is the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s.