If Your Dad Had Alzheimer’s, Your Brain Could Be At Risk Too, Study Finds (Image Credits: iStock)
A new study has found that having a father with Alzheimer’s disease could put individuals at greater risk for brain changes associated with the condition. The research, published in the journal Neurology, challenges the long-held belief that genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s are more commonly passed down through the mother.
Researchers discovered that people with a paternal history of Alzheimer’s had a significantly higher spread of tau proteins in their brains. Tau tangles are toxic protein build-ups that are a defining feature of Alzheimer’s disease, especially in its advanced stages.
Senior author Dr Sylvia Villeneuve, research chair in early detection of Alzheimer’s at McGill University, Canada, expressed her surprise at the results. “We had hypothesized that we would see more brain changes in people with affected mothers, but instead found that those with fathers who had Alzheimer’s were more vulnerable to tau spread,” she said in a press release.
What the Study Found
The study involved 243 people around the average age of 68. All participants had a family history of Alzheimer’s but did not show any signs of memory loss or cognitive impairment at the start of the study. Researchers tracked their brain health through scans and cognitive testing over an average of seven years.
By the end of the study, 71 participants had developed mild cognitive impairment — often an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Those who had a father with Alzheimer’s showed a greater accumulation and spread of tau in their brains and were also more likely to experience a faster cognitive decline.
Interestingly, the study also noted that women, regardless of parental history, tended to have a heavier tau buildup. This supports earlier findings that women with Alzheimer’s often experience a faster decline once symptoms appear.
“Better understanding these specific vulnerabilities could help us design more personalized interventions to protect brain health,” said Dr. Villeneuve.
Early Signs of Alzheimer’s to Watch For
Alzheimer’s disease often progresses silently in its early stages. However, recognizing the first signs can be crucial for early intervention. Common early symptoms include:
Memory loss that disrupts daily life,
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