Genetics and Alzheimer’s Disease: What You Can Do If You’re at Risk

Alzheimer’s is currently the most widely diagnosed form of dementia in the United States. It is a progressive disease that worsens over time, often to the point of interfering with daily activities. While doctors have begun to understand more about what causes Alzheimer’s, we are still discovering exactly what sets off the disease process.

Are some people predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease? Is there any action we can take to delay, or even prevent it? Read on to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and the role genetics and lifestyle play in it.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease and How Does It Progress?

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia most commonly affecting people over the age of 65, although younger people can be impacted as well. It is a progressive condition. Symptoms are usually mild at onset and worsen over time, eventually becoming severe enough to interfere with daily activities.

In the early stages, people with Alzheimer’s tend to experience minor memory loss. For example, they may forget a person’s name or the details of a recent event. As the disease progresses, cognitive functioning declines, causing more significant memory loss and other symptoms, including:

• Difficulty making decisions
• Confusion and disorientation in once-familiar places
• Speech and language challenges
• Personality changes
• Problems performing self-care
• Ambulatory issues
• Hallucinations
• Depression or anxiety

People with Alzheimer’s won’t necessarily exhibit all of these symptoms every day, and some days may be better than others. Sometimes, symptoms worsen later in the day, a phenomenon known as sundowning.

What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease? A Look at the Brain and Key Risk Factors

Scientists believe that Alzheimer’s disease is caused by a combination of factors, including age-related changes, buildup of protein structures (like amyloid-beta and tau) in the brain, inflammation, vascular damage, and genetics. Age is the biggest risk factor; however, lifestyle and environmental influences also play a role in its development.

Scientists have researched the disease process of Alzheimer’s for years. While we are still identifying what can cause a person to develop Alzheimer’s, we have made some discoveries about how the brain works in Alzheimer’s disease patients.

The Role of Neurofibrillary Tangles and Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimer’s

Today, we know that there are two different protein structures in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease: Neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques. It’s not currently known whether the presence of these structures causes Alzheimer’s disease, or if they are simply byproducts of it. We do know that both can impair cognitive function and can worsen as the disease progresses.

Neurofibrillary tangles are accumulations of a harmful protein called tau in the brain’s neurons. These tangles can inhibit the neuron’s ability to communicate, causing cognitive decline. Some studies reveal that a lack of oxygen in the brain is associated with neurofibrillary tangles.

 

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Are You At Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease?

Learn how a simple blood test available at Aviv Clinics may be able to answer this question: pTau Testing

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Amyloid plaques are hard, insoluble clumps of beta-amyloid proteins that build up between neurons. Like neurofibrillary tangles, these plaques are toxic to brain cells and disrupt cell-to-cell communication. They can eventually result in cellular death, inhibiting cognitive abilities even further.

Brain scans can reveal the presence of both protein structures, which can alert your doctor to the presence of Alzheimer’s disease or indicate that you’re at risk for it.

This information can be used to help you adopt lifestyle changes and seek treatment to help maintain your health and prolong your cognitive function.

Understanding Your Risk: Could Genetics Predict Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is most common among people over the age of 65. In fact, an estimated 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 and 1 in 6 people over the age of 80 have Alzheimer’s.

While age is the biggest risk factor for the disease, Alzheimer’s can also develop in younger people. This is known as early-onset Alzheimer’s, and approximately 7 percent of Alzheimer’s patients are under the age of 65.

Women also make up a disproportionate number of Alzheimer’s cases, possibly because women tend to live longer than men. It also may be linked to the reduction of the hormone estrogen that women experience during menopause.

Lifestyle, as well as other diseases, like diabetes, stroke, and heart disease, are also thought to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s. Working to live a healthy life and control the onset of other chronic illnesses can help reduce your risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s as you age.

One major risk factor that we can’t control is genetics. Understanding how heredity influences the disease process and what we can do to mitigate it are important for making sense of the disease, as well as exploring timely options for prevention and treatment.

Alzheimer’s and Genetics: What Role Do Your Genes Really Play?

We all know that genetic factors can impact our health in a variety of ways. Brain health and dementia are not immune to this connection. The link between Alzheimer’s disease, specifically early-onset Alzheimer’s, and genetics is apparent.

Scientists have found that genetics are often a contributing factor among those who develop early-onset Alzheimer’s, meaning they are likely to have an immediate family member who also developed the disease before age 65.

For those who develop the disease later in life, the impact of genetics is less defined, though family history still seems to be an important risk factor.

What Genes Are Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease?

The most well-known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is a mutation in the APOE gene. A mutation in this gene is associated with higher levels of amyloid plaques and is often found in people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.  There are other genes associated with an increased risk, including PSEN1, PSEN2, and APP.  These genetic variants are more commonly found in the early-onset form of Alzheimer’s. If you have concerns, your doctor can conduct tests to determine if you have this gene mutation and are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s because of it.

It’s important to understand that people who are genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer’s disease may never develop it. But knowing your genetic composition can be powerful, especially if the information helps motivate you to make lifestyle choices that can help postpone or prevent your development of the disease.

Can You Prevent Alzheimer’s? What to Do if You Have a Genetic Risk

Even with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s, you can make lifestyle decisions to reduce your risk:

• Take care of your mental health
• Practice mindfulness
• Challenge your brain
• Maintain strong social connections and relationships
• Get quality sleep
• Eat a healthy and nutritious diet
• Exercise to help prevent the development of other chronic conditions, like diabetes and heart disease
• Avoid smoking and drinking to excess
• Be careful not to expose your brain to harmful substances or to the risks of sustaining traumatic brain injuries

These behaviors can impact your cognitive function and may act as controlling factors for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Alzheimer’s Disease

Recent research has also shown that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), in particular the specialized protocol used at Aviv Clinics, can be effective for preventing and addressing cognitive decline, especially as it relates to the early stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Studies reveal that this unique protocol of HBOT can increase blood flow to the brain in humans and even reverse amyloid plaques in laboratory animals. It may be a viable option to help prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease in the near future.

Remember, it’s not just about how long you live, but also how well. Making an effort to care for yourself now will help you enjoy a longer, fuller, and more active life while minimizing chronic health issues and cognitive decline.

The Bottom Line: Genetics are Important, But Lifestyle Choices Still Matter

Genetics is just one piece of the Alzheimer’s disease puzzle.  While you can’t control your DNA, you can control how your brain ages through lifestyle choices and medical support.

At Aviv Clinics, we specialize in helping people protect and optimize their brain health, including those with a family history or early signs of cognitive change. The Aviv Medical Program is a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan specifically tailored to the needs and health goals of each client.  Our board-certified medical team may assign a variety of interventions to improve brain health, including Aviv’s hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocol, cognitive and physical training, or nutritional coaching.

If you’re concerned about your risk for Alzheimer’s disease or want to preserve your cognitive function for as long as possible, our team is here to help. Contact us to discover how the Aviv Medical Program can support your brain health today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Last Update: July 24, 2025