What are Alzheimer’s preventative treatments for E4/E4 carriers?

Posted by hudsonlady @hudsonlady, Apr 17 1:57pm

Just received above results and am scheduled for PET scan. What medical or other preventative treatments are there?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Caregivers: Dementia Support Group.

pb50 | @pb50 | Apr 17 3:00pm

Hi. I am thinking you mean APOE3 / E4. That’s a genetic test result and about 60-65% of alzheimer patients have that test result. So it’s not a certainty that you will develop Alzheimer’s but they are going to assess presence of amyloid plaque in the PET Scan.
Your doc will talk with you about current treatment options. Leqembi is the latest drug therapy.

hudsonlady | @hudsonlady | Apr 17 4:00pm

Thanks. Am 81 and just beginning this journey and while this group seems to be for caregivers, I have a ways to go before I might not be able to carry a conversation or investigate so I appreciate your response. The assistant who called was sure it was E-4/E-4, which doesn't sound good. She also said not recommended for Leqembi because of vulnerability to brain bleed. I guess the next months will unfold but need to lay out a plan for spouse and myself going forward. As Gilda Radner said, "It's always something!"

pb50 | @pb50 | Apr 17 4:46pm

Well that’s true. The E4 gene introduces risk of brain bleed. I have one copy - expressed as E3/E4. It seems you have two copies - or E4/E4. That means you’re more likely than I am to develop Alzheimer’s. But it’s not a definite thing for either of us.
PET scans change the game and can answer how much amyloid plaque is seen in our brain currently. My neuropsych testing result was described as “Mild Neurocognitive Disorder”. I have high levels of Tau but a normal MRI.

So we wait. And watch. And have tests.