Comments on: “Can You Scan My DNA?” http://talk.dnadirect.com/2006/04/14/can-you-scan-my-dna/ Your Genes, Your Health, Your Choices Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:28:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Lisa Lee http://talk.dnadirect.com/2006/04/14/can-you-scan-my-dna/#comment-7 Lisa Lee Wed, 19 Apr 2006 19:12:57 +0000 http://talk.dnadirect.com/2006/04/14/can-you-scan-my-dna/#comment-7 I suspect that is why you've been unable to find easy testing because the genetic tests available to date are limited. At this time, testing mainly focuses on families with early-onset disease in multiple family members. Only a small percentage of Alzheimer's patients (about 1 percent) are found to have the specific genetic changes that this testing detects. (Early-onset refers to younger than age 60-65.) Testing for more general Alzheimer's risk -- known as ApoE -- has significant limitations and the interpretation of test results is not straightforward. For example, it's not clear how much risk the different ApoE test results confer. Our company (www.dnadirect.com), for example, does not currently offer ApoE testing for these reasons. The UCSF Memory & Aging Center has a special Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Check out: http://memory.ucsf.edu I suspect that is why you’ve been unable to find easy testing because the genetic tests available to date are limited.

At this time, testing mainly focuses on families with early-onset disease in
multiple family members. Only a small percentage of Alzheimer’s patients (about 1 percent) are found to have the specific genetic changes that this testing detects. (Early-onset refers to younger than age 60-65.)

Testing for more general Alzheimer’s risk — known as ApoE — has significant limitations and the interpretation of test results is not straightforward. For example, it’s not clear how much risk the different ApoE test results confer.

Our company (www.dnadirect.com), for example, does not currently offer ApoE testing for these reasons.

The UCSF Memory & Aging Center has a special Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Check out: http://memory.ucsf.edu

]]> By: Mara http://talk.dnadirect.com/2006/04/14/can-you-scan-my-dna/#comment-6 Mara Tue, 18 Apr 2006 21:43:15 +0000 http://talk.dnadirect.com/2006/04/14/can-you-scan-my-dna/#comment-6 You mention Alzheimer's and I have heard that there is a genetic test for this disease and yet I have not been able to find it easily offered on the web. Why is that? You mention Alzheimer’s and I have heard that there is a genetic test for this disease and yet I have not been able to find it easily offered on the web. Why is that?

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