How one family's genes changed the science of Alzheimer's | The Jennings v Alzheimer's - BBC

John's Mum and Grandad both developed Alzheimer's in their 50's. Now he's deciding whether to take a test that will reveal if he'll develop it too.
#TheJenningsVAlzheimers #iPlayer
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When a mutant gene causing Alzheimer’s is discovered in the Jennings family, it leads scientists on a journey to develop a cure and leaves family members with a terrible dilemma. #TheJenningsFamilyVAlzheimers #iPlayer
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[@chriseggleston7573]

Ahhhh....my Alzheimer mother had a half brother with Alzheimers. Their grandmother was a Jennings. I want to know.

[@happycook6737]

I would take the test because it would help me plan and prepare.

[@DelphiaStrickland]

My father's mother had Alzheimer's. I am about to have full-genome testing done, and will find out whether or not I carry any of the genes. I want to know so I can plan.

[@LauraB.335]

Alzheimer’s is considered diabetes type 3, because it’s insulin resistance of the brain and can be helped, if not prevented altogether, by diet. Alzheimer’s may have a genetic component, but just because you have the gene, does not mean you can’t influence those genes (epigenetics). Dr. Mary Newport reversed many of her husband’s symptoms by first feeding him coconut oil, then mct oil, then switching to a ketogenic diet. The goal was to stay in ketosis 24/7. You CAN do this before you’re diagnosed, plus add in a little fasting for good measure.

[@ingies2011]

This☝️and that wonder drug is very controversial, has very bad side effects, and very limited outcomes

[@Lily_of_the_Forest]

My great uncle was active/hyper (loved to dance and fidgety) and skinny. Was told he was one of those lucky people who could eat anything and not gain weight so maybe he did ate lots of sugar, but since he was thin no one was concerned about diabetes? He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in his late 50s. Passed away at 63. It was a shock. no one else was diagnosed so young. Yes, the older relatives went “cuckoo” as they used to say, in their 70s and 80s. My grandpa, my great uncle’s big brother passed away at 91. He had dementia in his 80s but stayed sharp until about 4 yrs before he died. Their sister died in her 70’s from breast cancer. Still sharp witted. Their parents lived into their 70s as well and as far as I know nothing specifically mentally declined related. My great uncle is a mystery. His poor wife and children were devastated. His wife is still alive in her 90s. Never remarried. He was a fun, silly man. A great loss.

[@Yosetime]

Obviously, you've been hoodwinked. You absolutely cannot base an entire disease on one account of one doctor who followed a particular diet. Please, if they ask you to drink the koolaid. Don't drink it!! Talk to a real doctor, please. Not everything you hear on the internet is true. Especially those who provide a link to buy their ketogenic diet stuff. I hope you didn't press that link!!!! And that doctors husband died of.......Alzheimer's. Weird eh?

[@pca9041]

Gawdalmighty, if I knew that Alzheimer's was a likelihood, I'd want to get tested immediately so that I could 1) make preparations for the end (so that my family didn't have to deal with it) and 2) live my remaining time as fully as possible. Thankfully, there is no history of the disease in my family and if heart problems or diabetes didn't take them, most of them lived to 85 or above.

[@Yosetime]

I agree. I'd want to make a living will too, so nobody would have to wonder about what to do with me. And I also think it's a pretty good idea to live well anyway because we don't really know what is going to get us and when anyway. I just don't want anyone to tell me "Live everyday like it's your last". That would be bad. If I knew this was my last day I'd do at least one illegal thing just to say I did, say every swear word in the book to my ex, spend every penny I have (that would probably take me 10 minutes, so sad), take my car out to the country to see if I really can do a 'drift', then write graffiti all over it and give it to a homeless person. Lord knows all the craziness that would ensue if anyone ever told me to live like it really was my last day. It would not be good. So I'm going to live like it's possible to go to jail tomorrow and be homeless by the end of the week, so be good, do good, and maybe pay my bills on time. And that's all I need. lol

[@janetbrown216]

This is how medical science moves forward... with the access to actual sufferers.. not just lab rats

[@onlycows726]

Alzheimers sucks for everyone

[@brittanydaniels1102]

@onlycows726 I agree, because my mom's mom passed away the same month she was put into hospice care from Alzheimer's and untreated urinary tract infection she contracted the year before.

[@tvviewer4500]

Except when you realize how curable it is if you stay away from doctors and their crack pot nonsense

[@de_conciertos]

My mom is in an early stage. We don't know about other relatives.

[@bernob9770]

We need this medicine ASAP.

[@dhurt1217]

My Mom had it and her sister has it.

[@usainengland]

My old boyfriend had Alzheimer’s disease(AD) in the female line, basically all the women developed AD by 50. They donated their mom’s brain to science. I haven’t seen him for over a decade but I pray for his sisters.

[@usainengland]

I hope that you aren’t affected.

[@PRAKANGKORWAT-gq6ue]

Love 😍😍

[@katrinat.3032]

Interesting but now we know about Epigenetics. Different factors in our lives that change the expression of our genes. It could be food. It could be stress. It could be other things that we don’t even know about. Wouldn’t it be great if sometime in the future, we could just learn how to suppress our negative genes

[@Yosetime]

Think about it. We already have Crispr, have for awhile and now it's being used in real life genetics. If, in the future, we had the tech to suppress our negative genes through diet or something, wouldn't we also be able to get rid of it genetically with Crispr and future versions of it?

[@RachaelCollins-]

I'm gonna remember every moment of Joy, and the unending feeling of Love. I'm not going to do some things. I will keep in my thoughts how Good it is to be Me. And that my existence has always been proof of a miracle.❤ 👍❣️🙏💯

[@Yosetime]

But when you have Alzheimer's, you won't be remembering your name, let alone your poem. Remember that. Actually, write it down so someone can read it to you if you get Alzheimer's.

[@Yosetime]

So John is living every day in absolute fear that he has this disease, but won't take the test that could possibly tell him he doesn't have it, so he could relax about it. Instead he's planning his future around the idea that he will get it. Isn't that worse? Even if he found out he did have the gene, wouldn't he still be relieved? Because now he knows for sure and can plan accordingly. And if he doesn't have it then he and his partner can be happy for as long as they do live. Seems silly to me to live with such crazy fear possibly over nothing and possibly over something, but has options to slow the disease. Options he can't take unless he knows. Why wait for symptoms to show up to take the test? That's a bit too late when the science is available now. Silly.

[@matscati-sup4766]

There is no cure for alzheimer what is the point of knowing in advance there is a 100% chance you will die from this horrible disease

[@fernemcallister6774]

If it’s possible to be tested, I think it’s imperative to do so if you are planning to have children, it’s a hideous disease to inherit.

[@subaharora1150]

Early!!

[@SH-jg5zq]

Don't have children if you're affected!

[@julieblair168]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[@julieblair168]

I know. I ate some at 2am

[@nohandle62]

My mother's Aricept was useless. I'm sorry. I have no confidence in Alzheimer's/dementia drugs.

[@kayperkayful]

Amino acid L-seline ….read about Guam and Alzheimers. It will stop the progression .

[@shamimbrh1646]

First comment ❤

[@-xxMelissaxx-]

And? Get an actual hobby.

[@kenyareads6918]

It would be nice if these researchers also considered treatments for Alzheimer's suggested by other medical professionals. For example, coconut oil, MCT oil and methylene blue. Genetic disposition to a disease/condition does not mean someone has to suffer from it. For example, most Caucasians are disposed to getting skin cancer if they remain in the sun for a long time, while most negroids and South Asians can easily stay in the sun for extended periods without significant risk of developing skin cancer. However, the majority of the Caucasian population does not get skin cancer because they protect themselves both with appropriate clothing and sunscreen. The same argument could be considered for those with genes disposed to Alzheimer's. Perhaps adding coconut oil, MCT, intravenous Sodium Ascorbate and methylene blue to their diets/supplement regime will reverse and even protect them from Alzheimer's.

[@pandapower5902]

They study all kinds of stuff. People who eat olive oil (just a tiny amount, not even a full tablespoon) every day had lower risk of dementia. Exercise too. But for people who have the genes for it it’s still hard to stop it, but everyone could get it.

[@tvviewer4500]

Best way to get Alzheimer’s is to go to doctors and wait for their cures

[@davidb2206]

Aluminium. Even in the bread, baking powder. Look at the change in the Western diet since the 1950's.