Listen to how one gene affects Alzheimer's risk

Why genetic testing for Alzheimer's risk may not be right for you

Medical experts warn that completing Alzheimer's testing for late-onset versions of the disease can be fraught, in part because there's a shortage of genetic counselors to help navigate the findings and their potential implications, including for one's finances. Learning you have one or two copies of the APOE4 gene variant, which elevates Alzheimer's risk, can be panic-inducing, but an elevated risk for the disease is not the same as saying it definitely will develop.

Poor sleep increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's

Brain imaging studies reveal poor sleep leads to production of amyloid beta proteins—molecules linked to Alzheimer’s—which are cleaned from the brain during high-quality sleep. These findings suggest conditions like sleep apnea and insomnia increase the risk of developing the disease.

Scientists are reevaluating the causes of Alzheimer's beyond the amyloid hypothesis

The cause of Alzheimer's disease has been debated for decades. The amyloid cascade hypothesis—where plaques build up in the brain, triggering neurodegeneration—has long been the leading theory. But after a number of failed drug trials, researchers are beginning to reevaluate various culprits. [Untreated hearing loss is linked with dementia risk](https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext) Hearing loss does not cause dementia, but it does increase the risk of developing dementia and research suggests that people who wear hearing aids for age-related hearing loss also maintain better brain function than those who don't.

Alzheimer's is most prevalent in the South and the East

Risk factors for Alzheimer's can include age, race, education, and income levels, exposure to pollutants, and much more. As of 2023, these factors are seen in higher incidence rates for those above 65, in the southern and southeastern parts of the US.

Genetic blood test offers an estimated clock on when Alzheimer's symptoms may appear

The 2026 research finding from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis—if validated in broader populations—suggests that an already available blood test could estimate when Alzheimer's symptoms may begin within a margin of several years. The test detects a protein called p-tau217 found in blood plasma and the researchers incorporated the findings from that blood test into a statistical model to come up with the symptom timeline predictions.

Even if you have some ASD-linked gene variations you may not develop ASD

Individual environment and life experiences affect how genes perform in the body, potentially adding methyl groups to DNA that affect their function and turning genes on and off—which may heighten or reduce disease risk.

Targeting cholesterol metabolism may help address macular degeneration

Research published in 2025, based on human plasma samples and mouse models, indicates that boosting the levels of a molecule called apolipoprotein M in the blood can improve cholesterol processing, helping prevent some cellular damage that contributes to age-related macular degeneration.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

Early-onset Alzheimer's can appear as early as age 30

Drugs recently approved to slow the progression of Alzheimer's appear to work best when administered as early as possible. Early stages are marked by a low buildup of tau, a protein experts believe clumps into misfolded, neuron-disrupting tangles once clusters of another protein—amyloid beta—have already started causing damage.

Stroke risk doubles each decade after age 55

While age is the greatest risk factor, genetics, diet, and overall health play a prominent role in determining individual stroke risk. Prevention focuses heavily on modifiable risk factors. High blood pressure is the single most important controllable risk factor, contributing to both types of stroke.

Scientists identify hundreds of genes responsible for OCD

Researchers analyzed the DNA of more than 53,000 people with OCD and identified 30 areas in the genome linked to the disease, containing 249 genes of interest. Of those, several were linked to other brain disorders, paving the way for genetic treatments of various mental illnesses.

An Alzheimer's patient discusses her condition with children

Alzheimer's is a deadly disease that profoundly changes a person's abilities and personality, which makes it difficult to explain to kids. Responding to potentially uncomfortable questions with honesty (and relatable imagery) about the costs and nature of the disease goes a long way in fostering understanding.

Aurea's father came upon polygenic risk scores after reading a news article about it

Rafal Smigrodzki, a neurologist with a PhD in genetics, first heard of the polygenic risk score offering after reading about it in a 2017 MIT Technology Review feature that focused on the company they eventually used, Genomic Prediction.

Smell is a robust memory cue for individuals with Alzheimer's disease

Odor is more effective than both visual and verbal cues for triggering autobiographical recall in Alzheimer's disease, according to 2021 research.

Move over gene editing, scientists can edit your epigenome

Instead of deleting genes, epigenetic editing modulates their activity. A new paper tests if it’s able to undo a genetic effect of early alcohol exposure.

GLP-1s may lower inflammation, possibly helping to combat cognitive decline

An analysis of existing GLP-1 research, published in April 2025, indicated that GLP-1 drugs reduce inflammation, with numerous health benefits. The work notes that GLP-1s were linked with a statistically significant reduction in dementia in randomized clinical trials.

Lack of Vitamin D seems to be one major factor fueling MS risk

Researchers believe that a combination of factors can elevate MS risk, including a lack of vitamin D exposure in different locales, genetic history, cigarette smoke exposure, and Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Most people with East Asian ancestry are genetically predisposed to be less smelly

A gene variant found in 80%-95% of individuals with East Asian ancestry reduces armpit bacteria and related odors. People with this nonfunctioning ABCC11 gene variant lack a protein that transports molecules, including sweat, across cellular membranes, so their armpits are starved of sweat that bacteria may have metabolized to help them multiply.

The gut microbiome's role in chronic diseases

Research shows that the microbial makeup of one's gut microbiome is associated with chronic diseases ranging from asthma to schizophrenia. Understanding these associations may reveal new ways to prevent or treat chronic diseases. In the meantime, nutritional changes—such as including more dietary fiber and unsaturated fat—appear to be the "most obvious, noninvasive, and immediate" way to alter the gut's microbiota makeup and functions.

What causes high cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a complex health issue, and for a long time, the American Health Association recommended Americans not eat more than three eggs a week to avoid it. But scientific advancements on the impact of different types of cholesterol revealed eggs aren't so bad. So what is it, and how does it effect us? Dive into the digestive tract here.

Your DNA may determine whether you like coffee or tea

Whether people prefer coffee or tea may boil down to a matter of taste genetics. People with a version of a gene that increases sensitivity to the bitter flavor of caffeine tend to be coffee drinkers, according to a report. Read on for more.

Arteries with microplastic deposits linked to higher risk of cardiovascular events

Research shows that microplastics and nanoplastics can accumulate in major arteries, and patients with these deposits are significantly more likely to suffer heart attacks, strokes, or death. These deposits are possible due to these particles' ability to cross blood barriers.

The word allergy is partly derived from the Greek word 'allos' for 'other'

For people with allergies, their immune systems recognize substances as a harmful "other"—cuing an inflammatory response. This podcast explores allergy details and related topics, including how scientists are interested in if the same allergic response mechanisms could underpin other health issues, including severe, painful symptoms around the time of menstrual cycles. Since estrogen acts on white blood cells called mast cells, which leads to the release of histamines—similar to what happens during allergic responses—an understudied question is whether the same process is fueling some of the uncomfortable symptoms around menstruation. An allergist guest notes this raises questions about if antihistamine medications like Pepsid might alleviate them, something that hasn't yet been explored in clinical trials.

Autoimmune diseases affect between 5% and 10% of people worldwide, but their causes remain unknown

Autoantibodies—which attack the body—may be detectable in the body years before a patient develops symptoms, but some people may have detectable levels yet never go on to develop an autoimmune disease. This video discusses this and other unsolved mysteries with autoimmune disease.

Alkaptonuria was the first identified genetic disorder

In 1902, a rare recessive mutation was determined to cause alkaptonuria—a disease that induces dark pigmentation of connective tissue. The responsible gene was not isolated until the 1990s.

What's your ACE score, and what does that mean for your health?

An ACE score is a way of measuring adverse childhood experiences, which can negatively impact health outcomes. Take this quiz to determine your score and what that means for your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser...

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

Apeirophobia is an overwhelming fear of living forever, perhaps stemming from the brain's inability to conceptualize an infinite life.

Astronauts have repaired genetic damage in space using CRISPR—a molecular tool that can make precise changes to DNA and is used in single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Three Ebola species are responsible for most large outbreaks of the disease, yet the only approved Ebola vaccine is known to work against just one of them.

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

Against his wishes, Albert Einstein's brain was removed before his cremation, and the pathologist responsible stored it for decades in mason jars within a beer cooler.

Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley' is infamous for having some of the highest industrial pollution, toxic air emissions, and cancer risks in the US.

20,000 letters to the advice columnist 'Dear Abby' provide insight into prevailing sex, religion, and LGBTQ fears, anxieties, and concerns from the 1950s onward.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

Play the role of a student in a game where you try to navigate college and remain debt-free, selecting different income levels, high school experience, race, ethnicity, and more.

The American cockroach is actually from Africa, an apparent hitchhiker aboard ships carrying enslaved people, with evidence suggesting the bug may have arrived in the New World as early as the 1600s.

Poison ivy is in the same family as mangoes, cashews, and pistachios—and they all produce oily urushiol in their raw, unprocessed state—but they are typically prepared in ways to avoid causing human discomfort.

English mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer algorithm a century before computers existed and hypothesized that computing devices would one day be able to compose music—foreseeing the generative AI systems of today.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Gerrymandering works through two techniques: cracking opposing voters across districts to dilute their power, and packing them into a few to waste their votes in lopsided majorities.

While atoms are normally made of protons, neutrons, and electrons, exotic ones have been built with antimatter—alternate versions of normal matter that live for fractions of a second and are about a billion times as rare.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

Warren Buffett's former professor Benjamin Graham is known as the 'father of value investing,' a strategy in which investors seek to buy stocks trading below their intrinsic worth.

After her fellow cult members tried to kill her with an LSD-infused hamburger, one member of the Manson Family, the murderous cult led by Charles Manson, decided to testify against the group's leader.

The Mona Lisa's celebrity status and repeated restorations have obscured what made the painting so revolutionary for its time

The price of gas is a composite made up of several different factors, with the federal gas tax making up less than 20% of what drivers pay at the pump.