Chris Hemsworth

Many experts recommend that you don't take at-home tests for genetic variants linked to Alzheimer's disease.

There are ways to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s even if you have APOE-e4, Mayeux said. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the drug for approval, and more advances are expected. “The latest research suggests there are close to 50 different locations in the genome that might contain genes that increase your risk of Alzheimer’s,” Mayeux said. It’s very different from testing for BRCA1 or 2 — genes that can raise your risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Having one copy raises your lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s two- to threefold. Does genetic testing have a role in the real world? APOE-e4 also raises your risk of cardiovascular disease. Only 2% to 3% of people have two copies of APOE-e4. Or they could have the gene and pass it on but not get the disease themselves, Mayeux said — it’s very unpredictable. Early-onset Alzheimer’s symptoms affect less than 10% of all people with the disease. That number is likely to double by 2050, according to the “It is a polygenic disorder meaning that there are many genes that may impact getting Alzheimer's disease,” said Dr.