Frequently Asked Questions: Research

There are about one hundred genes that could affect the likelihood of someone developing dementia.

Far more research is needed to fully understand the effect that these genes have. If your parent has dementia, your own chances of developing it are only a little higher than if there is no dementia in your family. This indicates that the genetic link with dementia is only very weak, and it is likely that lifestyle factors are far more important.

The situation with Alzheimer's disease is better understood. People who carry a gene called ApoE4 are more at risk of Alzheimer's, but does not mean they will definitely develop the disease.

A number of other genes are known to be linked to Alzheimer's disease. People with any of these genes tend to develop the disease in their 30s or 40s, and come from families in which several members also have early onset Alzheimer's disease.

The important thing to remember is that all of these risk genes are very rare in the population, accounting for less than one in 1000 cases of Alzheimer's disease.

• Read our factsheet on the genetics of dementia
  
• Read our A-Z entry on genetics and dementia
  

Research into the genetics of dementia funded by Alzheimer's Society

• Decoding the genetics of Alzheimer's disease

Lead Investigator: Dr Gillian Hamilton
Institution: University of Edinburgh

• Understanding the genetic risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

Lead Investigator: Dr Paul Hopkins
Institution: Kings College London

• Bringing vascular dementia to the forefront of research

Lead Investigator: Dr Patrick Kehoe
Institution: University of Bristol

• Understanding the genetic link between dementia and Down's Syndrome

Lead Investigator: Dr Emma Jones
Institution: Woldson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, KCL