These scientists found Alzheimer’s disease in their genes. Here are what they did after that: shots

People who inherit two genes variables called APOE4 have a 60 % chance to develop Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 85.

Only about 2 % to 3 % of people in the United States have this genetic file, most of whom do not know this because they did not search for genetic tests.

But three scholars are among those who were tested, and they knew that they were in the group at risk. Now, each of them makes an effort to protect their brain not only, but the brains of others with the genetic style known as APOE4-4.

June: From panic to hope

A genetic test from 23andme June gave bad news in 2023.

“I felt as if I were the end of the world,” says June, who only asked to use her first name for fear that making her genetic position might affect her functions or health insurance.

Jun was 57 when I discovered it. As a person who holds a doctorate in biochemistry, I quickly understood the meaning of the results.

“People with almost our genetic style are designed to get the disease,” she says. “We tend to get symptoms from 7 to 10 years of the general population, which means that I had about seven years before I got sick.”

Initially, June spent nights without sleep on the Internet, reading academic papers about Alzheimer’s and genetics. She even looked at suicide with the help of the doctor in an attempt to ensure that she would not become a burden on her adult son.

Then I discovered online societies like APOE4.infoWhich included people with its genetic file.

“I only found useful information, but I also provided deep friendships with people,” she says.

June learned about the benefits of the brain in the Mediterranean diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction. And while seeing Alzheimer’s Association Web site, discovered an interesting research project at the University of California, San Diego.

It is continuous Ticket To find out if four months of strong mental and physical exercises can improve brain health in people between the ages of 50 and 85.

So in 2024, June found itself on a fixed bike in UCSD as it plays the hard virtual reality game.

“You ride a bike and pass through the unfamiliar terrain where you need to do the turns,” she says. “So you really have to use all the cognitive reserves.”

The study also included a series of MRI and cognitive tests.

“This was absolutely changed because I was not only able to see my mind at work, but I also managed to develop effective strategies to maintain my memory,” she says.

Since participating in that experience, June has been defending federal funding for Alzheimer’s research and urged the Food and Drug Administration to think about medicines that may benefit people with APOE4-4 genetic style.

“I realize that being APOE4-4 is not the end of the world,” says June. “There are many things we can do.”

David Watson: Discovering drugs

A lot of mental and physical activity says symptoms of Alzheimer’s, he says David WatsonA nervous psychologist and executive director of Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment Center.

But this is not enough for him and other people carrying two copies of the APOE4 variable.

“Any of these things that we can do with prevention, it will be useful,” says Watson. “But will they overcome genetics? No, they are not, unfortunately.”

Watson, now in the mid -fifties, learned his genetic position about 25 years ago after seeing many family members developing Alzheimer’s disease.

He decided to perpetuate his career to manage the clinical trials of Alzheimer’s drugs in the hope of finding one that might protect his brain.

This effort helped get two new properties (LECANMAB and DonanemabIn the market. Unfortunately, Watson is not a good candidate for any of the drugs.

Lecaneemab and Donnemab are both monochrome antibodies that remove sticky amyloid plaques from the brain – a distinctive feature of Alzheimer’s disease. But in people with Watson’s genetic image, medications often cause serious swelling or brain bleeding.

He says: “If someone is APOE-4-4, they are likely not to be on a monochromatic anti-Ameloid body.” Or if they do so, it should be “with great caution with additional advice,” he says.

So Watson was focusing on Experimental drugs This means specifically for people who have two copies of APOE4. The pill, tested in some patients in its center, is designed to boycott the process that leads to amyloid plaques, instead of removing the paintings that have already been formed.

“This particular compound has already shown great results,” says Watson.

The medication, which it made with smart, does not cause the brain swelling or bleeding. And prevent memory -related brain areas from reducing the way you usually do in Alzheimer’s disease.

But in Great experienceThe drug failed to clearly show that it may slow down the cognitive decrease in people with al -Zheimer’s already.

However, Watson believes that zhlin has potential.

Watson says that some of the study participants who have been on the medicine “carry” instead of getting worse. Blood tests indicate to these participants that “we are really achieving a difference in keeping neurons alive.”

Windy Nelson: Go to public places

When a genetic test of 23andme showed that Windy Nelson carried two copies of the APOE4 variable, it was quiet.

“I just didn’t want to tell anyone at the beginning,” she says. “I only kept myself.”

Nelson, 54, a PhD world in the biotechnology industry. So I knew the meaning of the results. But she did not know what to do with them.

She was already involved in the type of activities that could protect her brain. “I am a trio, a hardline militant, I eat in good health,” she says.

So when I learned to put it in 2022, the only changes you can make are to stop drinking and start cholesterol.

After that, one of the Nelson Biotech contacts put it in contact with Podcast About dementia and brain health. They asked her to conduct an interview. I agreed.

She says: “It was at the point where no one knew what was my situation, but in my opinion, I was thinking, well, who would see this?”

Many people, it turns out.

Soon, Nelson found herself on another podcast, where she met Reuters, and in the end she appeared on television news. I started working with the call groups, including APOE4-4 Alzheimer’s alliance.

Nelson says that it is a general aspect of the APOE4-4 community gives it an opportunity to educate the audience about a genetic profile that affects about 800,000 people in the United States, and it gives it a forum to defend more basic research on Alzheimer’s disease.

Just a few weeks ago, Nelson had an opportunity to meet the Food and Drug Administration officials to talk about Alzheimer’s medicines for people like her.

“I have made seven minutes of my testimony to the Food and Drug Administration, which was my call for more options, because I don’t feel that I have anything there now,” she says.

But Nelson, such as June and Watson, says that people in the APOE4-4 community can change this by pressing more research and an easier organizational path for drugs that may help.