Dementia Support Line
Study links extended family's medical history to dementia – Alzheimer’s Society comment
Having a parent with Alzheimer’s disease has been known to raise a person’s risk of developing the disease, but new research suggests that having extended family members who have had Alzheimer’s may also increase risk.
'Family history is an important indicator of risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but most research focuses on dementia in immediate family members, so our study sought to look at the bigger family picture,' said study author Lisa A. Cannon-Albright, of the University of Utah School of Medicine.
The study is published today in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Dr James Pickett, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Society, said:
'With dementia now the UK’s biggest killer, and someone developing it every three minutes, people’s fears about developing the condition are bound to be heightened by a history of Alzheimer’s in the family.
'Although this study does suggest that a family history, including extended family such as great-grandparents, is linked to an increased risk - it doesn’t mean people with a family history will definitely go on to develop dementia. Alzheimer’s risk is complex, with many factors at play. By following good lifestyle advice, even people with a strong family history could significantly reduce their risk.
'As we seek a cure for dementia, Alzheimer’s Society genetic scientists are using state of the art techniques to investigate inherited links to dementia to better understand and predict the condition to eventually stop it in its tracks.'
