Neurologist Discusses Alzheimer's

The majority of people who develop Alzheimer's disease in their 30s or 40s are likely to have a genetic mutation that is largely responsible for their disease.

For older people, age is the largest known risk factor for developing dementia. The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease approximately doubles with every five years of age between 65 and 85. ApoE e4 genotype and family history of Alzheimer's disease also increase your risk of getting the disease earlier. Some other putative risk factors, which have yet to be shown to be causal, include head trauma (particularly with loss of consciousness) and low levels of education.