Which Parent is More Likely to Pass Down Alzheimer’s Disease? New Research Has the Answer

Alzheimer’s disease is often passed down through families, but new research is shedding light on which parent is more likely to pass it on. While we’ve long known that genetics plays a role in Alzheimer’s, recent studies show that your mother might be more responsible than your father for the risk.

Understanding Alzheimer’s Inheritance

Alzheimer’s disease is not only a challenging condition but also one that can sometimes run in families. The less common form, Familial Alzheimer’s Disease (FAD), has been found to have a direct genetic link. Even if this form of Alzheimer’s runs in your family, there are still ways to reduce your risk. But when it comes to inherited risk, which parent is more likely to pass down the disease?

New Findings: The Role of Mom

A recent study involving 4,000 cognitively healthy adults between the ages of 65-85 from the US, Canada, Japan, and Australia sheds light on this question. The research found that if a parent developed Alzheimer’s or dementia, the child was at a higher risk if their mother was affected, rather than their father.

Why Might Mom Be More Responsible?

Dr. William A. Haseltine, a scientist involved in the research, offers a couple of potential explanations for this. First, mothers always pass down an X chromosome to their children. It’s possible that this chromosome is more vulnerable to changes that can affect gene expression, increasing the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Moreover, women have two X chromosomes, one inherited from each parent. Genes from the X chromosome inherited from the father may be “silenced,” meaning any mutations passed down by the father might not have as much of an impact. On the other hand, the X chromosome inherited from the mother could play a larger role.

Another possible reason is mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondria, which power our cells, come from our mothers. If there’s a mutation in a mother’s mitochondrial DNA, it might increase the risk of Alzheimer’s being passed down to her children. Though this theory is still under investigation, it suggests that the mitochondria play a key role in brain health.

Sociological Factors and Future Research

The study does suggest that sociological factors could also influence the findings. Since women tend to live longer than men, mothers are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, simply because they live longer. So, while the study indicates that mothers may be more likely to pass on Alzheimer’s, there’s still much more to learn.

The Takeaway

While the study points to mothers playing a larger role in passing down Alzheimer’s risk, more research is needed to understand the mechanisms fully. For now, it’s clear that genetics, both from the mother and father, plays a significant role in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.