These scientists found Alzheimer's in their genes. Here's what they did next

"People who inherit two copies of a gene variant called APOE4 have a 60% chance of developing Alzheimer's by age 85. Only about 2% to 3% of people in the U.S. have this genetic profile, and most of them don't know it because they've never sought genetic testing. But three scientists are among those who did get tested, and learned that they are in the high-risk group."

""I just felt like the end of the world," says June, who asked to use only her first name out of fear that making her genetic status public could affect her job or health insurance. June was 57 when she found out. As someone with a doctorate in biochemistry, she quickly understood what the results meant. "People with our genotype are almost destined to get the disease," she says. "We tend to get symptoms 7 to 10 years earlier than the general population, which means that I had about seven years left before I may get the disease.""

People who inherit two copies of APOE4 face about a 60% chance of developing Alzheimer's by age 85. Approximately 2 to 3 percent of people in the U.S. have the APOE4-4 genotype, and most are unaware without genetic testing. Three scientists learned they carry APOE4-4 and are taking steps to protect their brains and others' brains. June received a 23andMe result at age 57, experienced despair and considered physician-assisted suicide, then found community support and evidence-based lifestyle measures. June adopted diet, exercise, sleep, and stress-reduction strategies and enrolled in a UCSD trial of vigorous mental and physical exercise.

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