Genetic testing for Alzheimer`s disease
Dementia is a progressive decrease in cognitive capacity which usually appears in the elderly people. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease which affects one fifth of people at the age of 80. It starts with the inability to recall recent events. Later, upon disease progression, other cognitive problems appear: solving abstract problems, disturbances in speech, skills and recognition. It can be detected only in an advanced stage by a series of simple mental tests.
Why should you have your DNA analysed for predisposition to Alzheimer`s disease?
The appearance of disease is linked to interrelated influence of various genes; it is a well-known fact that carriers of the apoE4 gene have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Many loci, analyzed during the genome analysis, can contribute to susceptibility to this disease with a strong genetic component.
How is dementia prevented or treated?
Traditional medicine can currently treat only the symptoms; for the near future, however, effective medicines are on the horizon which will halt the disease progression or prevent it altogether. Thus, it is useful to be aware of the possibility of your increased susceptibility to this disease. This information can aid in early detection of the disease and a successful treatment in the near future.
More information about genetic testing for diseases.