Alzheimer's Disease Genetic Testing

This article is about the technology we have available to have gene testing for a disease or mutations that may have been passed on from parents to children. This was about a family in which a member had 50-50 chance of inheriting a mutated gene for Alzheimer’s around age 50. Marty Reiswig, 37 years old, and Matt Reiswig, 41 years old, are faced with the dilemma of getting tested for the mutated gene or not. Gary Reiswig author of “The Thousand Mile Stare”, wrote this book after finding out what has struck upon their family and how genetic inheritance worked.

Marty Reiswig decided not to get tested after meeting with a group of men who have been tested for the mutation. After here the story of a man who was tested and the risk factor it brought in his life, Marty decided not to get tested because the “return was not worth the investment”.  On the other hand, Matt Reiswig was tested after many days of restlessness, and fortunately, he did not have the mutation of the gene that causes Alzheimer’s. Brian Whitney, 43 years of age and cousin of the Reiswig, unfortunately, did have the mutated gene. He registered himself to a clinical trial to help find a treatment, in case he had passed the mutation on to his daughter.

I would be in the same dilemma being tested or not. I would like to know so that every time I forget something little as my keys or misplace my phone, I wouldn’t immediately think it was Alzheimer’s. Although I would not like to know only because I would wouldn’t want to know when it will affect me. I would have to live in fear of passing mutated gene on to my children.