Overview
- The modelling estimates 72–93% of Alzheimer’s cases would not occur without the ε3 and ε4 forms of APOE, with roughly 45% of all dementia attributable to the gene.
- The team pooled four large datasets totaling more than 450,000 participants and used the rare ε2/ε2 group as a low-risk reference in their calculations.
- Findings recast the common ε3 allele as a contributor to population risk rather than a neutral baseline, alongside the well-known ε4 risk variant.
- Authors argue that targeting APOE biology could prevent or treat a large share of disease, though they emphasize genetic risk is not deterministic and many carriers never develop dementia.
- Independent experts welcomed the work but cautioned that routine APOE testing is not currently available in the NHS and that estimates vary by study definitions, with lifestyle factors remaining important modifiers of risk.