Among people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, researchers recognize familial forms of the disease and sporadic cases. This shifting appreciation of inherited risk, researchers say, is due to a better understanding of the role of a fourth gene that carries the blueprints to make a lipid-carrying protein called apolipoprotein E, known as APOE. One known as APOE2 is thought to be protective against the development of Alzheimer’s disease. They also compared people with two copies of APOE4 to people with other inherited forms of the disease — early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD) and Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer’s disease (DSAD). Gene testing isn’t currently recommendedIt is also likely to change how people who carry the APOE4 gene are diagnosed and treated.

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Persons: APOE4, ”, Dr, Juan Fortea, Sant, Fortea, Charles Bernick, Bernick, Alzheimer’s wasn’t, isn’t, they’re, ” Fortea, Sanjay Gupta, Reisa Sperling, “, ” Sperling, ” Dr, Sterling Johnson, Johnson Organizations: CNN, Nature, National Alzheimer’s Coordinating, Neurology, Hospital de, Cleveland Clinic Lou, Brain Health, CNN Health, Alzheimer’s Research, Brigham, Women’s, Alzheimer’s, University of Wisconsin Locations: Alzheimer’s, Spain, United States, Santa, Barcelona, Wisconsin