A person's risk for developing dementia can be estimated based on the presence of certain risk factors.
NOTES:
(1) In the paper by Green et al, I am not sure if a person's risk for dementia equates to the risk for Alzheimer's disease.
(2) The rate of dementia looks very low and relatively flat in the patients until age 65 in Figures 1 and 2, page 333, Green et al. The incidence seems to only increase markedly after age 70.
Risk factors:
(1) age: risk increases with increasing age after age 65
(2) gender: higher in women, with the risk more significant in White Americans than African Americans
(3) family history: being a first degree relative to a patient with Alzheimer disease
(4) race
(5) apolipoprotein E genotype
Race:
(1) African Americans have a higher rate than White/European Americans.
(2) The rate for other racial groups (Asian Americans, Native Americans) was not given.
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Cumulative Risk of Dementia by Age 85 with a First-Degree Relative with Alzheimer's Disease
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Gender
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White Americans
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African Americans
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male
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22%
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40%
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female
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31%
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47%
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from Figure 4, page 334, Green et al (2002)
Apolipoprotein E genotype:
(1) The risk increases for persons who are heterozygous or homozygous for the epsilon 4 allele.
(2) African Americans who are homozygous for the epsilon 4 allele tended to have earlier onset of dementia compared to those who were heterozygous.
(3) The risk for White Americans is approximately the same for both those heterozygous and homozygous for the epsilon 4 allele.
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Cumulative Risk of Dementia by Age 85
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epsilon 4 allele status
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White Americans
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African Americans
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absent
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22%
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36%
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heterozgyous
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33%
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48%
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homozygous
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31%
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65%
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from Figure 5, page 334, Green et al (2002)
