Marvel actor Chris Hemsworth recently revealed that he has a rare gene that puts him at risk of developing Alzheimer’s after he got himself tested during the shooting of Limitless. The actor claimed the results were “his biggest fear.” The actor hasn’t announced that he’d quit acting, especially since he’s willing to return for another Thor movie. However, he did mention he’d like to focus on “those things that make life worth living.”
Despite his fears, Hemsworth said that finding out about his condition was a blessing since he can start taking steps to prevent Alzheimer’s from rapidly developing. At the same time, Hemsworth is still young. At age 39, he still have time to live his best life before signs of the disease would emerge.
Chris Hemsworth’s story with Alzheimer’s: What is the APOE4 gene?
Hemsworth said in his interview with Vanity Fair that his results showed that he has two copies of the APOE4 gene. According to the National Institute on Agin, the APOE4 gene is the strongest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.” This gene is genetic; however, having it doesn’t mean a person would develop the disease.
What makes Hemsworth’s condition rare is that he received two copies of the gene. Both were inherited from his parents. The NIH reports that only 25 percent of people carry one copy of APOE4. The chances to obtain two copies are around two to three percent and it’s currently unknown why the gene increases the risk for Alzheimer’s.
Hemsworth was given the option to not publicly disclose his condition in the show. But the actor wanted his condition out in the open in hopes motivate people to take better care of themselves.
“No, look, if this is a motivator for people to take better care of themselves and also understand that there are steps you can take—then fantastic,”
Limitless is now streaming on Disney Plus.
