PAGAN KENNEDY

When thousands of patients rise up, refuse to be stigmatized, discuss their symptoms and participate in research, science benefits. A new test for Alzheimer’s could help to create that movement, but let’s not wait. Twenty-five percent to 50 percent of us will show signs of Alzheimer’s by the age of 85. When it comes to dementia, we all should consider ourselves vulnerable. No matter what genes you carry, your odds of developing cognitive problems increase as you age. In other words, welcome to the club: If you plan to live a long time, then you, too, belong to the high-risk group. Now what are you going to do about it?

Many health organizations discourage patients from learning their ApoE genotype. They warn that people may not be able to cope with bad news or will misinterpret the results.

You may be faced with some difficult choices within the next decade: Do you want to receive potentially alarming news about your cognitive health, or would you rather not? If you learn that you have a high risk for Alzheimer’s, is that information you will want to keep private — from employers, clients, health insurers and others? Or will you want to openly embrace it as part of your identity and publicly advocate for a cure?

When thousands of patients rise up, refuse to be stigmatized, discuss their symptoms and participate in research, science benefits. A new test for Alzheimer’s could help to create that movement, but let’s not wait. Twenty-five percent to 50 percent of us will show signs of Alzheimer’s by the age of 85. When it comes to dementia, we all should consider ourselves vulnerable. No matter what genes you carry, your odds of developing cognitive problems increase as you age. In other words, welcome to the club: If you plan to live a long time, then you, too, belong to the high-risk group. Now what are you going to do about it?

Many health organizations discourage patients from learning their ApoE genotype. They warn that people may not be able to cope with bad news or will misinterpret the results.

You may be faced with some difficult choices within the next decade: Do you want to receive potentially alarming news about your cognitive health, or would you rather not? If you learn that you have a high risk for Alzheimer’s, is that information you will want to keep private — from employers, clients, health insurers and others? Or will you want to openly embrace it as part of your identity and publicly advocate for a cure?