Episode #61 - Dr. Ryan Fortna: The genetic side of Alzheimer’s disease

This episode of the Thinking Health Podcast Features Dr. Ryan Fortna, President of Avero Diagnostics, Director of Molecular Pathology, and Scientific Director of ADx Health.Dr. Fortna did his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania in Cell and Molecular Biology and was focused on the cell biology of Alzheimer’s disease, in particular the gamma secretase complex (which is the enzymatic protein complex responsible for converting APP (the protein version of the gene I mentioned on the podcast that is one of the three genes that can have mutations that cause Familial Alzheimer’s) into A-beta (the protein fragment that causes amyloid plaques)).

Dr. Fortna is the Scientific Director at ADx Health which is a company focusing on genetic testing for Alzheimer’s Disease operating under the motto, “Know your risk, reduce your risk”, believing that with knowledge comes the power to live a better life. Their goal is to develop and offer genetics and wellness products that provide actionable information to allow individuals to find balance, purpose, and thrive.

In this episode, we talk a lot about the genetic side of Alzheimer’s disease going in-depth on the differences between deterministic and non-deterministic genes, APOE4, other important genes for Alzheimer’s, and how lifestyle can be a powerful approach for combating your genes and reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s.