On November 17, Thor actor Chris Hemsworth takes a break from acting after finding out about his higher risk of obtaining Alzheimer’s Disease in his new show, Limitless.

The 39-year-old Hollywood actor took a genetic test, revealing that he has a duplicate gene. This gene is called APOE4. Normally, a person has only one APOE4, but Chris Hemsworth has two, one from his mother and one from his father. Studies have shown that the duplication of gene APOE4 can lead to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. This situation is a very rare one, only 2%-3% of the population as a whole has a duplicate APOE4, according to a 2021 National Institutes of Health study. 

The doctor who took the test, Dr. Attia stated that Hemsworth is eight to ten times more likely to obtain Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s regularly one out of 10,000 people, but in Hemsworth’s case, it’s one out of 1,000 people due to gene APOE4. 

“Well, if Chris Hemsworth does get Alzheimer’s Disease, the long-term effects are mainly going to be suffering from memory loss, short and long term. Look at his job, it’ll affect him heavily for sure. His lifestyle would also change because he’d need someone to help him. Someone would have to take care of him because he would lose the ability to do simple activities of daily living.” Nursing Assistant teacher Angela Mell said. 

Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurocognitive disease where the build-up of a protein, amyloid precursor protein slowly shrinks the brain. This leads to dementia and the decline of cognitive functions, such as simple everyday tasks and even speaking. Early stages begin with mild memory loss, but over time one can lose the ability to respond to their environment and will likely need assistance with everyday life. 

Sadly, there is no guaranteed cure for Alzheimer’s Disease. The disease can shorten one’s lifespan by 20 years, but there are ways to slow down AD such as exercising, not smoking, healthy dieting, etc. 

“It’s heartbreaking to see such an astonishing actor face a problem like this. He’s great in his role as Thor in the MCU,” senior Diego Hernandez said. “I enjoy his movies and enjoy how he’s a kind and genuine person outside of the Hollywood scene. Him taking a break from acting is bittersweet, I’m glad he’s taking time for himself after hearing that tragic news.”

Chris Hemsworth’s long-term hiatus from acting will allow him to focus on his lifestyle and health while participating in research on the debilitating disease. Fans of Hemsworth can only hope that he stays in good health and spirits during his time away from the big screen.