Topics: Chris Hemsworth, Health, Mental Health, Hollywood, Instagram, Science
It has been two years since Chris Hemworth discovered he has two copies of the gene associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The 41-year-old made the discovery while shooting his Discovery+ series Limitless, which saw the actor look into how we can live better for longer.
In one of the episodes, which focused on memory, the Aussie actor had a brain scan.
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Doctors then analyzed the organ, and found he had two copies of the gene APOE4 - one from his mother, the other from his father - which studies have linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Soon after his discovery, he took a break from acting, with many believing the legendary Thor actor packed up his bags and retired from Hollywood - but that wasn't the case.
In fact, prior to the findings, he had already planned to take a well-deserved break - can you blame him? He's been involved with around three to four productions for a decade!
But yes, he's now returned, appearing in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga earlier this year, and Transformers One, voicing Optimus Prime in the animation that was released just two months ago.
The break in fact was just in 2022.
Now, The Avengers star has taken to Instagram to share a health update following his Alzheimer's findings.
He posted a picture of him and a doctor who is helping in his treatment, captioning it: "Really enjoyed meeting Dr. Adeel Khan (@dr.akhan). His work with MUSE cells – an incredible type of regenerative stem cell, is unique.
"The fact that he collaborates directly with Professor Mari Dezawa, who pioneered these cells, made me feel confident that I was in the hands of someone at the very forefront of regenerative medicine."
It is approximated that more than six million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common type of dementia.
More than 55 million people have dementia worldwide and this number is expected to ‘almost double’ every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International.
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that typically starts slow and progressively worsens over time. It affects the nervous system and breaks down communication around the body, eventually resulting in death.
