Welcome!!!

A primer for newbies and old pros alike.
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Pierre-Yves
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by Pierre-Yves »

Hello,
I'm new on this forum. Sorry for my poor English.
I just had my DNA sequenced with Dante Labs. (Alzheimer's Report attached )
I'm not an expert in genetics and I must admit that the result are a little bit hard for me to understand.
Even if it's not completely clear, I think I understand that I have an APOE4 allele (the report says "NM_000041.4(APOE):c.388T>C", but a research on google says that it means APOE4).
The report mentions that it's heterozygous. But I don't know if I'm APOE4/APOE3 or APOE4/APOE2.
It also mentions APO NC_000019.9:g.45408836T>G and APO NC_000019.9:g.45414451T>C
I don't know what it means. I'm wondering how many APOE alleles I do have... :)

If anyone could help me ton understand this report about my APOE status, that would be a great help.
Thank you very much and have a nice day.

Pierre-Yves, Nice, France.

(I'm 54 yo. My mother is 94 yo and she has been living with Alzheimer's in an institution for 7 years now. I don't know her DNA status)
NF52
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by NF52 »

Pierre-Yves wrote: Tue Oct 11, 2022 10:39 am Hello,
I'm new on this forum. Sorry for my poor English.
I just had my DNA sequenced with Dante Labs. (Alzheimer's Report attached )
I'm not an expert in genetics and I must admit that the result are a little bit hard for me to understand.
Even if it's not completely clear, I think I understand that I have an APOE4 allele (the report says "NM_000041.4(APOE):c.388T>C", but a research on google says that it means APOE4).
The report mentions that it's heterozygous. But I don't know if I'm APOE4/APOE3 or APOE4/APOE2.
It also mentions APO NC_000019.9:g.45408836T>G and APO NC_000019.9:g.45414451T>C
I don't know what it means. I'm wondering how many APOE alleles I do have... :)

If anyone could help me ton understand this report about my APOE status, that would be a great help.
Thank you very much and have a nice day.

Pierre-Yves, Nice, France.

(I'm 54 yo. My mother is 94 yo and she has been living with Alzheimer's in an institution for 7 years now. I don't know her DNA status)
Bonjour, Pierre-Yves!

Je ne parle pas bien le francais, so thank you for writing in excellent English! I'm one of the Moderators on the forum, and wanted to let you know that I took the liberty of deleting your attached genetic Dante Labs report, because it has your full name and birthdate and info that you might not want just anyone on the internet to have.

As for your ApoE 4 status, I used Google also and probably got the same source for "NM_000041.4 ..." that lists it as ApoE 4: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar/RCV000019448.33/

Your second reference (NC_oooo19.9...0) is listed as equivalent to SNP rs405509 here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar/RCV000845578.1/SNPedia lists RS405509 TT as the "reference" ApoE gene for risk. [They call it A/A, but that is the same as T/T.]

Usually in ApoE discussions, ApoE 3 is the "reference" for "normal" risk. That seems to agree with the report referring to you as being heterozygous ApoE 3/4.

Most people who develop dementia after the age of 80 actually have other conditions as well that have affected their cognition: high blood pressure, coronary artery disease or previous strokes. You have decades for both your own strong interest and the science to increase your resilience and reduce your risk.

Etre bien!
Nancy
4/4 and still an optimist!
Kmlseattle
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by Kmlseattle »

Pierre-Yves wrote: Tue Oct 11, 2022 10:39 am Hello,
I'm new on this forum. Sorry for my poor English.
I just had my DNA sequenced with Dante Labs. (Alzheimer's Report attached )
I'm not an expert in genetics and I must admit that the result are a little bit hard for me to understand.
Even if it's not completely clear, I think I understand that I have an APOE4 allele (the report says "NM_000041.4(APOE):c.388T>C", but a research on google says that it means APOE4).
The report mentions that it's heterozygous. But I don't know if I'm APOE4/APOE3 or APOE4/APOE2.
It also mentions APO NC_000019.9:g.45408836T>G and APO NC_000019.9:g.45414451T>C
I don't know what it means. I'm wondering how many APOE alleles I do have... :)

If anyone could help me ton understand this report about my APOE status, that would be a great help.
Thank you very much and have a nice day.

Pierre-Yves, Nice, France.

(I'm 54 yo. My mother is 94 yo and she has been living with Alzheimer's in an institution for 7 years now. I don't know her DNA status)
Welcome, Pierre-Yves! Thank you for your post. I am sure others will provide you with feedback. Congratulations on your initiative in taking the first step of getting tested. I firmly believe that the more you know, the more opportunities you have to take the preventive steps to further minimize your risk.

As a welcome intern on this forum, I'd like to introduce you to some general resources, as well as those which my provide direct assistance in understanding your test results.

The Primer includes researched-based prevention strategies. It has been written by Stavia, a practicing M.D. with ApoE4/4.

Some helpful tips to navigate the site include the How-To Guide. It includes topics such as navigating the forum, private messaging, and searching. One great tip is using the quote (") button when replying to a post. Using the button will automatically alert the member of your response.

If you would like to tell us more about yourself or are interested in learning more about other members check out Our Stories. You might find other members with experiences similar to yours.

Additional resources you may find useful include:

Just Found Out You're an E4 Carrier provides detailed information about E4 status and various prevention and treatment options.
Interpreting Your Results and Promethease are external sited devoted to interpreting test results.

I am so glad you found this forum and am confident you will find the information and support you need. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Best regards,
Kathleen
wellselc
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by wellselc »

Yesterday I learned from a cousin about ApoE4 and this site. Both of our mothers (not related) had/have Alzheimer's. Last night I learned that I am ApoE4 (C, C,)/ApoE2. I am 79 and know that I have a 2.14 higher risk of the disease. I want to do as much as possible to prevent/delay it, because, physically, I am in good health. Right now, I am overwhelmed by all of the information that I am seeing. I really don't know how to begin making any changes to my lifestyle. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Linda, Tigerville, SC
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by Tincup »

wellselc wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 10:22 am I really don't know how to begin making any changes to my lifestyle. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Linda, welcome!

What I would suggest is going to our Primer and picking one thing and try to improve. For example, exercise, or sleep or ... Work on that till it becomes part of your life and then pick something else to improve. From my understanding of ApoE2's, triglycerides can be an issue, so refined carbohydrates in the diet would be something to avoid.
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Kmlseattle
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by Kmlseattle »

wellselc wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 10:22 am Yesterday I learned from a cousin about ApoE4 and this site. Both of our mothers (not related) had/have Alzheimer's. Last night I learned that I am ApoE4 (C, C,)/ApoE2. I am 79 and know that I have a 2.14 higher risk of the disease. I want to do as much as possible to prevent/delay it, because, physically, I am in good health. Right now, I am overwhelmed by all of the information that I am seeing. I really don't know how to begin making any changes to my lifestyle. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Linda, Tigerville, SC
Dear Linda,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the forum. It can be overwhelming to learn your ApoE4 status and begin to make lifestyle changes. As Tincup recommends, searching the Primer and finding something that resonates with you is a great way to begin. Being successful with one change to your lifestyle will make the next change easier.

As a welcome intern, I want to make sure you have access to all the resources available to you on this forum. In addition to the Primer, the WIKI is a searchable directory covering many different topics related to ApoE4.

There's lots to be learned from other members of this community. This information is on the Our Stories page. You're also welcome to post your own story there, if you'd like.

If you're a Facebook user, follow our Facebook page where information on new studies is regularly posted.

You may also consider working with a health coach who can help you choose where to start and how to go about making these changes to your lifestyle. You can find a list of health coaches who are ApoE4-aware on our Health Coach list.

I hope this helps get you started to choosing an area of your lifestyle on which to focus. Please reach out if you have any more questions.

Best wishes,
Kathleen
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by NF52 »

wellselc wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 10:22 am Yesterday I learned from a cousin about ApoE4 and this site. Both of our mothers (not related) had/have Alzheimer's. Last night I learned that I am ApoE4 (C, C,)/ApoE2. I am 79 and know that I have a 2.14 higher risk of the disease. I want to do as much as possible to prevent/delay it, because, physically, I am in good health. Right now, I am overwhelmed by all of the information that I am seeing. I really don't know how to begin making any changes to my lifestyle. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Linda, Tigerville, SC
Hi Linda,

You and your cousin have both had the difficult role of helping and watching mothers with dementia. I am 9 years younger than you and also have been in that role, so please accept a virtual hug from an ApoE 4/4 genetic "cousin".
It can be very hard to learn your DNA results and suddenly wonder "Is this my fate also?" Give yourself permission to ride the rollercoaster of emotions but know that this does get better.

And let me offer some reasons for optimism:

First: Your post and your vocabulary and sentence structure all show that you have intact cognitive and language skills. I started out as an English teacher, moved into learning disabilities, worked with neuropsychologists, and have been in clinical trials for people with normal cognition, so know these tests!

Second: At age 79, you have "cognitive reserve"--probably both a genetic resistance to any amyloid beta from your ApoE 2 and resilience because of your education, occupation and high verbal skills.

Third: A long-term study from 2000-2018 of over 800 adults living in the San Francisco Bay area, including about 25% Black or Hispanic/Latino participants, found that cognitive activities (CA) such as reading, using computers and playing games and physical activity (PA) including housework, yard work and exercise all were protective, regardless of what mistakes we made in mid-life. The authors reported that:
both PA and CA are clearly related to better brain and cognitive resilience markers across cohorts with differing educational, racial, and disease statuses.
They also summarized other studies:
In the US, simply walking 10 blocks/day was associated with 13% lower odds of cognitive decline over a 6–8 year period [5]...Using an identical twin study design, the twin with greater intellectual complexity in their occupation demonstrated ~5× [about 5 times] reduced risk of AD [6]. After adjusting for lifelong occupational complexity and education, late-life CA is consistently associated with better cognitive status in older adults.
Late-Life Physical and Cognitive Activities Independently Contribute to Brain and Cognitive Resilience

Fourth: The British Whitehall II study followed 5,560 British civil servants, with an average age of 55, about 25% of them women, for 20 years using extensive physical and cognitive testing. Of the total group, 2.5% had ApoE 2/4, which is similar to what I've seen in other large population studies. Twenty years later, those with ApoE 2/4 were only 2.6% of the total group with dementia (a non-significant difference) and were still 2.5% of the group without dementia.
https://alzres.biomedcental.com/article ... l II study
Table 2 Baseline characteristics according to dementia and mortality status at the end of the follow-up

At 79, you probably know what works for you, but may want to ask your doctor about Vitamin B-12 and D3 tests. I use 500 mcg of B-12 in the methycobalamin form from Jarrow, since I was in a clinical trial in 2017 that found I had levels slightly below the recommendation 500. It was in the high 600's the last time I checked. I used to have "normal" but low Vitamin D in the 30's. I now take 3000 IU (75 mcg) daily of Vitamin D3 in combination with Vitamin K2 (from Pure Encapsulations as K2D) and it's now in the mid 70's (and probably could go higher). You have lots of choices on these things, but it's helpful to get a baseline. You probably know that saturated fat is not your friend, so almond butter is better than Kerry butter! And protein is important for us to keep healthy bones, so enjoy exploring healthy protein options if like me you were raised to have bacon, ham, processed turkey, and lots of beef.

Remember that your mother, like mine, grew up during the Depression, when many homes were heated with coal or wood-burning stoves, smoked meats were far more carcinogenic than now, water was not purified and women often had an 8th grade education. Later in life, those women weren't encouraged to exercise, had high rates of osteoporosis, high blood pressure and undiagnosed heart disease. Almost any person who was diagnosed wit "Alzheimer's" over the age of 80 actually had obvious signs of TIAs and heart disease, and 30% of people like that whose brains were later autopsied showed NO signs of Alzheimer's. That means that you and your cousin are likely to avoid the vascular and toxic forms of dementia that your mothers may have had.

Look forward to life as a healthy, vibrant 80 year old who now knows how to safeguard her future!

Nancy
4/4 and still an optimist!
Travis
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by Travis »

Hello--I found out about this forum from Dale Bredesen's book The End of Alzheimer's. I am 73, and my memory first began to sputter about four years ago. I took a genetic test through 23 and me, hoping to find that I don't have the ApoeE4 gene, but I do (though I think one, not two). I adopted a fatalistic view of my plight, though my wife (from whom I withheld the gene news until recently) constantly researched strategies--pretty much everything Bredesen recommends. The Alzheimer's Prevention and Treatment Diet also guided me. I now eat a much more brain-friendly diet. I have always exercised a lot. I have been writing a scholarly historical study for a number of years, which is now forthcoming, as they say. So I use my brain. I decided to teach a college course this semester, something I hadn't done in five years, and I've managed to get through it so far, but not with my accustomed facility or pleasure. My mind sometimes descends into dark, foreboding places. I am eager, to put it mildly, to find a Bredesen practitioner in the New York City area, so I will welcome any recommendations. I do fear the cost, and will welcome any information on that aspect, too. I'm already very happy to have found this resource--thanks!
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by Alexia C »

Travis wrote: Wed Dec 14, 2022 7:35 pm Hello--I found out about this forum from Dale Bredesen's book The End of Alzheimer's. I am 73, and my memory first began to sputter about four years ago. I took a genetic test through 23 and me, hoping to find that I don't have the ApoeE4 gene, but I do (though I think one, not two). I adopted a fatalistic view of my plight, though my wife (from whom I withheld the gene news until recently) constantly researched strategies--pretty much everything Bredesen recommends. The Alzheimer's Prevention and Treatment Diet also guided me. I now eat a much more brain-friendly diet. I have always exercised a lot. I have been writing a scholarly historical study for a number of years, which is now forthcoming, as they say. So I use my brain. I decided to teach a college course this semester, something I hadn't done in five years, and I've managed to get through it so far, but not with my accustomed facility or pleasure. My mind sometimes descends into dark, foreboding places. I am eager, to put it mildly, to find a Bredesen practitioner in the New York City area, so I will welcome any recommendations. I do fear the cost, and will welcome any information on that aspect, too. I'm already very happy to have found this resource--thanks!
Hello Travis,

Welcome to our forum! I am so glad you found us and I am sure our community will help you with answers or guidance to your inquiry.

Improving your diet, doing lots of exercise and challenging your brain to new learnings will bring many positive results as you move forward with your health journey. Dr. Bredesen's book is a valuable source of information, your zest for knowledge and perseverance to improve your lifestyle choices clearly come across. I am a strong believer that much of our health is in our hands and that food is medicine. You are on the right track! Don't forget to always listen to your body..... we tend to forget there is much wisdom there as we are burdened with our daily activities.

We have a number of resources in our wiki, including ApoE4- Aware Healthcare Practitioners, that might be of assistance to you.

As a welcome intern, I would also like to point out some links/resources that might be helpful as you explore the site further.
First, if you would like to learn more about ApoE4, the
Primer
is a detailed and informative resource written by a practicing M.D. with ApoE4/4. It includes information about the biochemistry of the ApoE4 gene and offers a variety of research-based prevention strategies.

The
How-To Guide
shows how to quote members (use the " icon in the upper right of any post) so they get an email notification of your post. It also shows how to use the Search function for topics, and how to subscribe to topics of interest.

If you are interested in learning more about other members check out Our Stories. You might find members with experiences like yours that can help to steer you in the right direction.

Again, I am so glad you joined our forum and hope you find the support you need. I look forward to hearing from you in the future. Please feel free to reach out with any other concerns or inquiries.

Warmly,

Alexia C
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
Rreyn1
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Re: Welcome!!!

Post by Rreyn1 »

Hello. I am new here and have a question. I am not sure how to ask it or if there are things I should have been able to find here and somehow missed. I have not done genetic testing but am considering it. My mother (who I care for) has Alzheimer’s as did her brother and her mother. I am beginning to work toward the Bredesen protocol as I feel this might be my only hope. What are the ramifications of this knowledge other than it letting me be more committed to pro-activity? Do you know if you are required to divulge the info to insurance companies or any other unforeseen drawbacks to having this knowledge? Thank you in advance for any help you can give.
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