Chris Hemsworth pauses career due to Alzheimer's risk. Here's how to find out if you're at risk

Did you know that certain genes make you more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease?Other risk factors include lifestyle, age and environment.

If you aren't living under a rock, you must have heard of Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth taking a break from acting over Alzheimer's risk. While shooting his docuseries 'Limitless', the 39-year-old actor got to know that he is eight to ten times morelikely than an average person to battle the progressive disease and that has a lot to do with his genes.

After meeting physician Dr Peter Attia, he underwent a series of genetic tests and discovered that his DNA carries two copies of the APOE4 gene. A set from his mom and a set from his dad.

For those uninitiated, the APOE4 gene has the strongest correlation to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. And, according to a study, inheriting a single copy of APOE4 raises the risk of developing Alzheimer's about 3-fold and having two copies raises the risk to about 8 to 12-fold.

Several pieces of research on the progressive neurodegenerative disorder, which is the most common cause of dementia, have identified a number of genes associated with the disease. While risk genes increase your likelihood of developing the disease. Deterministic genes guarantee that you will develop the disease, though these are rare.

The Apolipoprotein E (APOE) risk gene is themost common gene associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease and it has three common forms. The least common form is APOE e2, which reduces the risk of Alzheimer's. The second form is APOE e4, which increases the risk of Alzheimer's and is associated with getting the disease at an earlier age. The third and last form is APOE e3, which doesn't seem to affect the risk of Alzheimer's.

But you must remember that not everyone who has one or even two APOE4 genes develops Alzheimer's disease. And, the disease can also occur in people who don't have an APOE4 gene.Several other genetic and environmental factors are involved in the development of the progressive neurologic disorder.

To find out whether you have this gene in your DNA, you can opt for genetic testing for AD. With a single blood test, doctors can identify which APOE alleles a person has, but, you must remember that the results cannot predict who will or will not develop the disease.

Before being tested, we suggest that you weigh the emotional consequences of having such information. And, the results can affect your eligibility for some forms of insurance, long-term care, disability and life insurance.

Disclaimer: The medical information in this article is not a substitute for expert opinion or doctor's advice. Please consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

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