Alcohol Interacts with ApoE4 Gene to Increase Alzheimer's Risk
"Drinking alcohol even infrequently may increase your risk of dementia if you're one of the estimated 20 percent of people with a gene that has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests." The long-term study on over 1,000 subjects was carried out at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
Based on limited information this study strikes me as a potential argument for wider genetic testing of apoE. Past arguments against genetic testing relied heavily on the belief that positive results could cause psychological harm while providing no actionable medical information since there are no proven interventions to prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
If additional studies confirm the link between apoE4, alcohol intake, and increased dementia risk, limiting alcohol consumption could be viewed as a real step that people who test positive for the allele could take to reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Based on limited information this study strikes me as a potential argument for wider genetic testing of apoE. Past arguments against genetic testing relied heavily on the belief that positive results could cause psychological harm while providing no actionable medical information since there are no proven interventions to prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
If additional studies confirm the link between apoE4, alcohol intake, and increased dementia risk, limiting alcohol consumption could be viewed as a real step that people who test positive for the allele could take to reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
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