Dementia, Parkinson's Disease and our genes...

Two articles. The first I'm posting is much better. Given that I am APOE 3/4 plus have quite a few Parkinson's genes and all kinds of other contributing nasties like short-sleep, etc. I'm primed for a potentially ugly future genetically. However, I am not gonna let those nasties be my future.

One thing I've learned over the past 8 or 9 months of bombarding my brain with all the latest and greatest research, news, podcasts, theories while trying to help my mom is that prevention is possible. The scary thing is that the nasty genes can kick in 20 years or more before you start seeing "symptoms". Often by the time you start experiencing cognitive issues you're in a battle that main-stream science currently says you will lose. There is no cure. Currently. There is great promise for changing that though, just probably not in time to help my mother. Catching it early and/or prevention is critical.

Side note: My uncle has Parkinson's and my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother all have/had some form of dementia. My other aunt has a plethora of health issues, not sure what all of them are as there's not much communication. Not aware of any Parkinson's or dementia on the paternal side of the family, tons of cancer though. And yes, I have all kinds of cancer-related bad genes...

Also, have a ton of SNPs that say I'm primed for Type 2 Diabetes. My mom was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and told her cholesterol was too high a few years back (not sure exactly when) and they wanted to put her on meds. She changed her diet...lowered her cholesterol...blood tests currently show good on the diabetes front but she is a true sugar-holic & carb-holic (as am I)...however, she went way too far and lost way too much weight, didn't understand eating healthy vs starvation/extremely small portions! Been trying to increase her weight since last June, some success but it's a battle :-).

Anywaze, here are the two articles on Parkinson's, APOE, etc.:

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Gene ID’d as potential therapeutic target for dementia in Parkinson’s
Targeting gene linked to Alzheimer’s may reduce dementia risk in Parkinson’s
Dementia is one of the most debilitating consequences of Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological condition characterized by tremors, stiffness, slow movement and impaired balance. Eighty percent of people with Parkinson’s develop dementia within 20 years of the diagnosis, and patients who carry a particular variant of the gene APOE are at especially high risk.

In new research, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a clue to the link between Parkinson’s, APOE and dementia.
https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/gene-idd-as-potential-therapeutic-target-for-dementia-in-parkinsons/

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Lab: Discovery could help stave off anguish of dementia in people battling Parkinson’s

PARKINSON’S disease can be especially cruel. Its slow but sure onset inflicts tremors, slows down movement and impairs balance. And perhaps the most bitter blow of all is that 80 percent of people newly diagnosed will go on to develop dementia within 20 years.

But there is hope for the future, after experts made a breakthrough that could lead to treatments capable of slowing down or stopping this mental decline.

https://www.metro.news/bbc-science-focus-discovery-could-help-stave-off-anguish-of-dementia-in-people-battling-parkinsons/1899963/
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Info at end of first article with study info I think:
Davis AA, Inman CE, Wargel ZM, Dube U, Freeberg BM, Galluppi A, Haines JN, Dhavale DD, Miller R, Choudhury FA, Sullivan PM, Cruchaga C, Perlmutter JS, Ulrich JD, Benitez BA, Kotzbauer PT, Holtzman DM. APOE Genotype Regulates Pathology and Disease Progression in Synucleinopathy. Science Translational Medicine. Feb. 5, 2020. DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aay3069