Donald Trump’s Father Had Alzheimer’s - What Are the Odds He Could Develop It Too?

US President Donald Trump has reignited a debate regarding his health and cognitive sharpness as he struggled to recollect the word “Alzheimer’s” during a recent interview. Speaking about his late father’s cognitive condition, Trump said he was not worried about the neurological disease that destroys memory and thinking skills. The 79-year-old, in an interview with New York Magazine, paused mid-sentence while referring to Fred Trump’s illness, trying to remember the term, and stressed that he does not have it. “At a certain age, about 86, 87, he started getting, what do they call it?” Trump asked, pointing to his forehead and looking toward White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “Alzheimer’s,” she replied. “Like an Alzheimer’s thing.

Well, I don’t have it,” Trump added. When the interviewer asked if the high possibility of a hereditary link was any concern to him, Trump dismissed it. “No, I don’t think about it at all,” he said.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

edscape describes Alzheimer’s as the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer's is a biological process that begins with the appearance of a buildup of proteins in the form of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in your brain, which causes brain cells to die over time and the brain to shrink. About 6.9 million people in the United States aged 65 years and older live with Alzheimer's disease. Among them, more than 70 per cent are 75 and older. Of the more than 55 million people in the world with dementia, 60 to 70 per cent are estimated to have Alzheimer's disease.

Is Alzheimer’s genetic?

According to the National Institutes of Health, Alzheimer’s has a genetic component, but it is rarely a direct, inevitable cause. The condition is usually caused by a mix of risk genes, lifestyle, and environmental factors. While rare genetic mutations cause familial early-onset Alzheimer’s in less than one per cent of cases, most are late-onset, influenced by risk genes like APOE-e4. APOE-e4 is among the most influential genes, which increases the likelihood of developing the disease but does not guarantee it. Also, very rare and specific mutations in the APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 genes that almost always guarantee the disease, often before the age of 65 years. Doctors say having a parent or sibling with Alzheimer's increases risk, but it is not necessary to have a family history to develop it. “Having a father with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease increases Donald Trump’s lifetime risk modestly, to approximately 15–25 per cent, compared with 10 to 12 per cent in the general population,” Dr Vinaya Bhandari, Consultant Neurology and Neuromuscular Disorders Specialist, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, told Times Now.

“Large population studies show that paternal late-onset Alzheimer’s confers weaker genetic risk than maternal or early-onset disease, and that most Alzheimer’s cases are polygenic and multifactorial, not single-gene inherited. Importantly, if Alzheimer’s has not developed by the late 80s, the probability of future onset falls significantly,” he added.

What are the risk factors beyond genetics?

Apart from the hereditary reasons, a few primary risk factors for Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, include:

Age

The primary risk factor is age (usually over 65).

Lifestyle and health

Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and head injuries are linked to a higher risk.Also read: Losing Loved Ones While They're Still Here: The Cruel Burden of Alzheimer’s in India

Is there evidence that Trump has Alzheimer’s?

There is no confirmed diagnosis or credible medical evidence that Trump has Alzheimer’s disease. Public speculation should not be confused with clinical diagnosis, which requires detailed neurological evaluation, cognitive testing, and sometimes imaging or biomarker studies.