Overview

• Men homozygous for the H63D variant faced more than twice the dementia risk compared to non-carriers in Neurology-published research
• Women carrying two copies of the H63D variant showed no increased dementia risk, underscoring a sex-specific genetic effect
• Analysis of 19,114 healthy older adults from the ASPREE trial over a median 6.4-year follow-up provided the study’s data foundation
• Researchers found no link between serum iron levels and dementia, suggesting inflammation or neural damage may drive the elevated risk
• Investigators propose routine HFE genetic testing for older men to identify high-risk individuals and enable tailored prevention strategies