New study examining the effect of APOE-ε4 knowledge

[Lucy5]

Just read the paper and had a hunch you were E, Stavia. My reaction was so similar to yours. I am SO glad to see this paper published and hoping it helps medical professionals gain some insight into the impact of learning one’s E4 status. I’m also hopeful that genetic testing w/o informed consent becomes a rarity.

[Julie G]

Its open access so I think we should link it to our testing page. What do you think Julie?

Great idea! I'm not sure it's open access though. We have an author's copy. I'm checking with Dr. Zallen... Stand by.

[Rainy]

Wonderful article, thank you so much for bringing it to us! So important not to discount the personal impact of one's E4 genetic discovery. I must admit I found it sobering and disconcerting that only 3 of the 26 participants were E4/E4 like myself, since E4/E4 carries a much higher risk. Deep breaths!

[Rainy]

Oops, I re-read that there were 15 E4/E4 participants in the current study, rather than just 3 participants in the original REVEAL study.

[TWBD]

I knew about ApoE4 before I got tested (23andme), and I got tested specifically because my father died (at 84) of complications of AZ. I wanted to know my risk.

And I came here because I wanted to know what I could do about it.

That's it. Not worth a half-hour phone call.

As it happens, I was already doing most of the right lifestyle things, but I wish I could have known earlier. Given that AD begins at least 20 years before noticeable symptoms, finding out I'm 3/4 at 70 (now 73) was a bit of an anticlimax.

Musing on this a few months ago, I happened upon a video of Kenny Rogers performing his song "Lucille" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SDVkdcO8ts), and the chorus lyric ("You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille") stuck in my head. I converted it to "I picked a fine time to find I'm E4," and it developed into this little ditty:

In a chatroom on aging
With seniors engaging
In talk about being retired
I saw the words genome
And visceral biome
With DNA testing required
Without hesitation
I found that location
And signed up for testing on line
With high expectations
Without reservations
I thought everything would be fine

I picked a fine time to find I'm E4

Now newly retired
And duly inspired
I had expected to soar
I'd had some bad years
Fought off those age fears
Now I was hopin' for more

I picked a fine time to find I'm E4

But soon I found others
My sisters and brothers
With genomes like mine and some worse
We all pull together
We're birds of a feather
We gather around and converse
Turmeric and fasting
And hope everlasting
And SNiPs in abundance to check
We prop up our spirits
And share all our secrets
But still I'm a sorrowful wreck

I picked a fine time to find I'm E4

Too old for prevention
I cling to my pension
And try not to care any more
But I'll lose the ability
When I hit senility
To pick myself up off the floor

I picked a fine time to find I'm E4

Feel free to add additional verses if the mood strikes you. And if you can't make sense of the meter, watch the video...

Tweezer, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this lyric. I was a songwriter in a past life ... makes me want to give it another go. Thank you for brightening my day.

[circular]

Dr. Zallen's paper, “Well, good luck with that”: reactions to learning of increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease was just published in this month’s Genetics in Medicine. You can access it here. Thanks to to all who participated. You should be very proud to have played a part in educating the medical community on the psychological aspects of learning one’s E4 status. Great job, team.

I'm confused. It doesn't seem to be public access anymore?

[Julie G]

The link still works for me, Circ. Anybody else?

[Julie G]

The link still works for me, Circ. Anybody else?

[NF52]

Worked for me also. Try different browser, circ?

[CoachDD]

It worked for me too!