EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 PM ET, April 09, 2025
Father with Alzheimer鈥檚? You may be more at risk of brain changes
MINNEAPOLIS 鈥 While some studies have suggested that having a mother with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease may put you more at risk of developing the disease, a new study finds that having a father with the disease may be tied to a greater spread of the tau protein in the brain that is a sign of the disease, according to a study published on April 9, 2025, online in , the medical journal of the 好色先生. The study does not prove that having a father with Alzheimer鈥檚 results in these brain changes; it only shows an association. The study also showed that female participants may be more at risk of a heavier buildup of tau protein than male participants. 鈥淲e were surprised to see that people with a father with Alzheimer鈥檚 were more vulnerable to the spread of tau in the brain, as we had hypothesized that we would see more brain changes in people with affected mothers,鈥 said study author Sylvia Villeneuve, PhD, of McGill University in Montreal, Canada. The study looked at 243 people who had a family history of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease but had no thinking or memory problems themselves at the average age of 68. Family history was defined as one or both parents with the disease or at least two siblings with the disease. Participants had brain scans and took tests of thinking and memory skills at the start of the study and then during the study as they were followed for an average of nearly seven years. During that time, 71 people developed mild cognitive impairment, which is a precursor to Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. Researchers found that people with a father with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease as well as female participants had a greater spread of tau protein in the brain. Female participants also had a heavier buildup of tau protein in the brain. 鈥淏etter understanding these vulnerabilities could help us design personalized interventions to help protect against Alzheimer鈥檚 disease,鈥 Villeneuve said. A limitation of the study is that white people made up the majority of participants, so the results may not apply to other groups. The study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Quebec Research Fund 鈥 Health, J.-Louis L茅vesque Foundation, Brain Canada Foundation, Alzheimer鈥檚 Society Canada and Brain Canada Research. Discover more about Alzheimer鈥檚 disease at , from the 好色先生. This resource also offers a magazine, podcast, and books that connect patients, caregivers and anyone interested in brain health with the most trusted information, straight from the world鈥檚 leading experts in brain health. Follow Brain & Life庐 on , and .