Are there family studies or clinical trials to determine if Alzheimer's is hereditary?
Check out Northwestern University's Medical Brain Center website. They are in the forefront of research...as well as UCLA. My theory is there is a mutant gene strain...more susceptible to females more than males, passed on from generation to generation. This mutant gene may have formed 400-500 years ago..and due to incest or family marriages which was more prevalent back then. Where is the human genome study's on the ALZ potential links?
My mother-in-law developed Alzheimers at 75; my father-in-law started with symptons at 85; my husband who is 61 was just diagnosed with AD last week. I am beside myself with grief. Our children who are 30 and 32 are now very worried about their futures.
I thought there was a test that could be given to see if you carried a particular gene that may make you more susceptible to Alzheimers but doesn't necessarily mean you will get it. My mother's side of the family seems to have a lot of family members that either have or have died with Alzheimers. My mother has dementia and as her caregiver I feel like my memory is going very fast. I don't know if it is the stress or if I am developing symptoms myself, so if there is a test I would like to know. I will fight it every step of the way if I can. My daughter is only 20 so I hate to become a burden on her.
