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The ϵ4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is associated with excess risk for Alzheimer disease (AD). In this study, researchers examined whether psychological distress occurred after people learned their APOE status.
One hundred sixty-two asymptomatic adults (mean age, 53) who each had a parent with AD were counseled about the genetics of AD and then were randomized to receive or not to receive their APOE genotyping results. Those in the APOE-nondisclosure group were told their specific risk for AD, based on their family histories; those in the disclosure group were given refined risk estimates, based on their genotypes. For example, among women, estimated cumulative risk for AD by age 80 was about 5% in the general population,…