So sad.
Chris Hemsworth has opened up on his increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s after he underwent routine checks while filming a new docuseries.
The 39 year old discovered that he carries two copies of the gene APOE4 which has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
According to a study in 2021 by the National Institutes of Health, one in four people carry a single copy of the gene but only 2 to 3% of the population carry both.
While filming for Disney+ on the National Geographic docuseries Limitless, Chris discovered that he carried this gene as the show covers time, aging, and human nature.
Chris has not been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s which he said in an interview with Vanity Fair, and noted that the new discovery does not necessarily mean he’ll develop it.
“The idea that I won't be able to remember the life I've experienced or my wife, my kids, this is probably my biggest fear.”@chrishemsworth discovers he has a risk of developing Alzheimer’s eight to 10 times higher than the general population while filming his @NatGeo show. pic.twitter.com/GAx3igKjdj
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 17, 2022
He went on to open up about getting the news while he was with his parents, saying: “It was a pretty brief conversation, all things considered. I hung up the phone and my parents were there, at the time. They were like, “What was that about?” And I told them, and then they had a bunch of questions.
“I had a bunch of questions, but no one answered them. I wish I’d had a more intense follow-up with it because I didn’t really know what to think. I was like, “Am I supposed to be worried? Is this concerning?””
“Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death. Then to all of a sudden be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen, the reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality.”
