The APOE gene is a genetic factor that greatly increases the risk of developing dementia, as well as late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (after the age of sixty-five). The problem with such information is that genetic contributions to dementia are complex; interactions with other genes and other biomarkers need to be taken into account in order to get an accurate picture. APOE alone does not cause dementia or Alzheimer’s. And, of course, an increased risk does not mean you’ll develop the disease with perfect certainty, and in some groups, the presence of the gene is protective.
