Chris Hemsworth to take acting break after finding genetic risk of Alzheimer’s – National | Globalnews.ca

Chris Hemsworth has announced that he will be taking a break from acting after receiving news that he has a heightened genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

The Australian actor learned that he has two copies of the APOE4 gene, which can increase one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s eight- to 12-fold, and is associated with earlier onset of the disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.

About 25 per cent of the population has one copy of this gene, but Hemsworth is in the 2-3 per cent that inherited the gene from each parent.

Read more:

Ellen Pompeo leaving ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ after 19 seasons as Meredith Grey

Hemsworth, 39, discovered this heightened genetic predisposition while undergoing tests for his Disney+ documentary series Limitless, which sees the Thor actor test his body and explore new ways to live longer and healthier.

Story continues below advertisement

Hemsworth told Vanity Fair that the tests confirmed his “biggest fear.” The results weren’t a total surprise for him because the actor’s grandfather is currently being treated for Alzheimer’s.

“It’s not like I’ve been handed my resignation,” Hemsworth said in the interview, clarifying that he hasn’t been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. “It’s not a pre-deterministic gene, but it is a strong indication.”

Read more:

Alzheimer’s drug shows signs of slowing disease in early results of global study

Hemsworth revealed that he was supposed to learn his genetic test results live on camera while filming Limitless, but one of the doctors on the show, Peter Attia, and series creator Darren Aronofsky, decided to tell him the news privately. Hemsworth was given the option of removing references to Alzheimer’s from the show but he said it was important to keep those parts in to increase awareness about Alzheimer’s prevention.

Story continues below advertisement

“My concern was I just didn’t want to manipulate it and overdramatize it, and make it into some sort of hokey grab at empathy or whatever for entertainment,” he told Vanity Fair.

The Marvel star added that the benefit of knowing about this grim outlook is that he can work to prevent the onset of the disease.

“If you look at Alzheimer’s prevention, the benefit of preventative steps is that it affects the rest of your life,” Hemsworth told Vanity Fair. “It’s all about sleep management, stress management, nutrition, movement, fitness. It’s all kind of the same tools that need to be applied in a consistent way.”

Read more:

Jason David Frank, star of ‘Power Rangers,’ dead at 49

Story continues below advertisement

Learning about his Alzheimer’s risk prompted Hemsworth to reflect on his family and career, telling Vanity Fair that he’s worried about missing out on important moments with his children. Hemsworth is married to fellow actor Elsa Pataky, with whom he has three kids.

“Before you know it, they’re 18 and they’ve moved out of the house, and I missed the window,” he said. “It really triggered something in me to want to take some time off. And since we finished the show, I’ve been completing the things I was already contracted to do.”

Read more:

Christina Applegate shines in 1st public appearance since MS diagnosis

Hemsworth announced that he will be taking a break from acting after he finishes the press tour for Limitless.

“I’m going home and I’m going to have a good chunk of time off and just simplify. Be with the kids, be with my wife.”

Hemsworth will be on the silver screen again in George Miller’s new addition to the Mad Max franchise, Furiosa, which wrapped shooting earlier this month.

According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, by the year 2050 more than 1.7 million Canadians are expected to be living with dementia, with an average of 685 individuals being diagnosed each day.

Story continues below advertisement

There are many things Canadians can do to improve their health and reduce the impact of dementia, says the organization. Much like Hemsworth stated in his interview, these include being more physically and socially active, following a healthy diet and challenging one’s brain by engaging in games, reading, and learning new languages, hobbies and skills, among other things.

&copy 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

For all the latest entertainment News Click Here 

Read original article here

Denial of responsibility! TechAI is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.