Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth, who recently featured in the docuseries ‘Limitless’, has revealed that he has a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease, and therefore may be taking a break from acting.
According to Vanity Fair, the 39-year-old took genetic tests for the series, which showed that he has two copies of the gene APOE4 – one from his mother, the other from his father – which has been linked to an increased risk of developing the progressive brain disorder.
Referring to it as his ‘biggest fear,’ Hemsworth said, “It really triggered something in me to want to take some time off.”
“Now when I finish this tour this week, I’m going home and I’m going to have a good chunk of time off and just simplify. Be with the kids, be with my wife,” he shares further.
Adding to the conversation with Vanity Fair, the Australian actor said, “My concern was I just didn’t want to manipulate it and over-dramatize it and make it into some sort of hokey grab at empathy, or whatever, for entertainment. It’s not like I’ve been handed my resignation.”
“Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it. We all have this belief that we’ll figure it out. 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,” he opines.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?According to the Mayo Clinic, Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and brain cells to die.As per the health body, it is also one of the primary causes of dementia, which is characterised by continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills. These then go on to affect a person’s ability to function independently.
Early signs of Alzheimer’s
One of the top signs of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss. This could mean that a person may have difficulty remembering recent events or conversation. As the disease progresses, the symptoms may worsen. It may impair one’s ability to think clearly, may make it difficult to concentrate, deprive one of his or her ability to make reasonable decisions and judgments in everyday situations. Changes in personality and behaviour may also arise, which could include sudden mood swings, social withdrawal, depression, aggressiveness and irritability and delusions.
There aren’t any exact causes of the progressive neurologic disorder
The Mayo Clinic says that the exact causes of Alzheimer’s disease aren’t fully understood. However, for most people, Alzheimer’s disease is caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over time, it explains.The health body suggests that less than 1% of the time, Alzheimer’s is caused by specific genetic changes that virtually guarantee a person will develop the disease. The damages usually begin from the region in the brain that controls memory.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
