Summary: New research has revealed that those who had a father who had Alzheimer’s may be more prone to the spread of alpha protein, a cornerstone of the disease, in their brains. The study examined 243 people over the course of almost seven years who had an Alzheimer’s family background, and found that those with damaged fathers, particularly women, had higher levels of tau buildup.
Amazingly, this refutes earlier notions that paternal estate posed a higher risk. These findings may help shape upcoming plans for personal prevention and intervention.
Important Information
- Paternal Link: A father who suffers from Alzheimer’s is thought to have a greater brain-wide spread of beta peptide.
- Sexual Difference: More broad tau buildup was observed in female participants than in male participants.
- First Symptoms: During the study, 71 participants experienced mild cognitive impairment, which is a sign of Alzheimer’s.
AAN as the cause
According to a research published on April 9, 2025, online in , Neurology, a new research suggests that having a parents with Alzheimer’s disease does put you more at risk of developing the disease. However, some studies have suggested that having a family with the condition does put you more at risk of developing the disease.  ,
The study only demonstrates an association between having a parents with Alzheimer’s and these mental changes.
Additionally, the study revealed that women participants may be more susceptible to a higher risk of a higher alpha protein buildup than male participants.
We had assumed that people with damaged mother would have more mind changes, so we were surprised to learn that those with Alzheimer’s fathers were more susceptible to the spread of beta in the mind,” said study artist Sylvia Villeneuve, PhD, of McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
At the average age of 68, the study looked at 243 persons who had a family record of Alzheimer’s disease but who themselves had no recollection or thinking problems. One or both of the disease’s families, or at least two of their children, were considered to have the illness.
At the beginning of the study, participants had head imaging and exams for their memory and thinking abilities, and they continued to do so throughout the research as they were followed for an average of almost seven years.
During that period, 71 individuals experienced mild cognitive impairment, which is a sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers discovered that participants in the study had more brain-wide beta proteins transmission, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and female participants. Additionally, female participants had a higher accumulation of alpha proteins in the brain.
A better understanding of these flaws may aid in the development of personal treatment plans to combat Alzheimer’s disease, according Villeneuve.
The study’s limitations are that the majority of the participants were bright, so the findings might not apply to other races.
The research received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Quebec Research Fund, the J. Louis Lévesque Foundation, the Brain Canada Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, and Brain Canada Research.
About this study on Alzheimer’s illness
Author: Natalie Conrad
Source: AAN
Contact: Natalie Conrad – AAN
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: The results will be published in Neurology.
