Their genes put them at high risk of Alzheimer’s. So they’re experimenting — on themselves
SAN DIEGO — Everyone at the meeting had one thing in common: a ticking time bomb buried in their DNA.
The engineers, physicians, financiers, and farmers gathered here this month all had learned through genetic testing that they carry a copy or two of APOE4, an allele of the gene APOE that substantially increases their risk of developing Alzheimer’s. It’s a disease with no good treatment, and no good prevention strategy. So carriers scour the internet to devise their own tactics for keeping their brains healthy: a high-fat diet. Episodic fasting. Oils. Supplements. Regular blood tests to monitor a specific type of cholesterol. Exercise, exercise, exercise — even including barefoot cartwheels across the conference room floor.
Some of these ideas have modest scientific backing; others are more speculative. All are fair game for APOE4 carriers who are desperate to ward off the frightening tumble into dementia that they’ve seen afflict far too many of their relatives.
The advent of low-cost genetic sequencing has opened up the secrets of our DNA — allowing us to learn about our , our tendency towards lactose intolerance, even (perhaps) our risk of when we work out. But that knowledge comes at a cost: Science often can tell us what diseases we’re predisposed to get, but
