ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is looking for participants to take part in a new pilot study to see how genetics and lifestyle influence risk for Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias.

HOPE AD (Healthy Outcomes through Phenomic Explorations for Alzheimer’s Disease) is a partnership between HudsonAlpha, Phenome Health, and the Buck Institute on Aging.

Nick Cochran, PhD, HudsonAlpha Faculty Investigator, said while there is no cure for Alzheimer's, research suggests combining early detection with lifestyle changes may reduce the risk or delay onset. 

"We know that the underlying disease process starts many years before someone has clear and explicit symptoms of Alzheimer's disease," Cochran said. "We also know that the treatments that are available. Also, there's been recently released treatments, work the best when they are administered early in the disease process."

According to Cochran, about 60% to 70% of the risk for Alzheimer's goes back to genetics. However, he said there are still other factors at play that the study will focus on.

"There's also about 40% that comes down to environmental or lifestyle factors and we are interested in both of those things," Cochran said. "So the genetics the science of it will be measuring the main genetic determinate at a population level for risk which is called APOE and something called Polygenic risk score that's outside of APOE and looks at lots of other genetic changes that may slightly increase risk."

He said it's important to have as much information about your health as possible, but it is up to each individual on whether they choose to participate in the study.

"It is a different world today than it has been over the past five or even 10 years in what you can do about it," Cochran said. "There are now pretty established data that these multimodal lifestyle interventions can shift risk when they are early. "

Those who choose to participate in the study could also receive something Cochran calls multimodal lifestyle intervention.

"It involves coaching where we are going to go through those factors that can contribute to risk and say here's the best way you can optimize those to best position yourself to be as at little risk as possible," Cochran said.

If you are interested in participating, you can contact the Smith Family Clinic for Genomic Medicine. Click  to find the clinic's phone number and email address.