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| Information for Patients & Caregivers |
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What are the risk factors for developing Alzheimer's disease? Age is the prime risk factor. Older individuals are the most likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. About 7% of all people over 65 and perhaps 35-40% of persons over 80 develop Alzheimer's disease. In rare cases, people younger than 60 develop the disease. This occurs particularly in individuals who have a family tendency for the disorder. There are at least 3 genes which, when mutated, cause Alzheimer's disease:
One other gene is a risk factor; the ApoE4 gene. This gene does not cause the disease, but the presence of copies of certain forms of its gene products predisposes the elderly to Alzheimer's disease. These genetic factors interact in complex ways, which are best studied in animal model systems. |