While developing his docuseries Limitless for National Geographic, which explores the concept of challenging the inevitable decline associated with aging, Thor fame Chris Hemsworth subjected himself to an extensive series of genetic tests. These tests aimed to unveil any potential insights encoded within his DNA, offering a glimpse into what the future may hold for him. The revelations he uncovered, as he shares in the show, turned out to be his “greatest fear.”
He possesses a duplicate set of the APOE4 gene in his genetic makeup, inherited from both his mother and father. Research has established a correlation between this gene variant and heightened susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease. This is when the actor decided to change his life.
Chris Hemsworth Received A Medical Warning From The Doctor
During an interview with Vanity Fair, Chris Hemsworth was questioned about his experience of receiving the specific diagnosis, which turned out to be a cautionary signal. He was asked to describe its nature or significance. The incident was shown in the fifth episode of the show, titled Memory.
Hemsworth recalled that a comprehensive array of bloodwork and tests were conducted, intending to reveal the results on camera and discuss potential areas for improvement. Peter Attia, the longevity doctor featured in the episode and a significant contributor to the show, reached out to Darren Aronofsky, the show creator, with an important phone call.
“I don’t want to tell him this on camera. We need to have an off-side conversation and see if he even wants this to be in the show,” Peter Attia told Darren Aronofsky.
Within the episode, Dr. Attia reveals a striking statistic, stating that possessing duplicate copies of the APOE4 gene makes Hemsworth eight to ten times more susceptible to developing Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
Chris Hemsworth Has A Family History Of Alzheimer’s
Later in the episode, the actor acknowledges that this particular test result didn’t come as a complete surprise to him, considering the fact that his grandfather had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. During the interview, Hemsworth was asked whether he was still alive, to which he responded saying,
“He is, yeah. I haven’t seen him in a few years, but my other family members have and there’s some days where he’s quite joyful and gives you a big hug. But my mum was saying he’s just a really friendly guy.”
Upon being asked that, despite representing a distant forecast, it must undoubtedly evoke a sense of unease and discomfort for him. The actor said,
“Yeah, there was an intensity to navigating it. Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it.“
Limitless is available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: Vanity Fair
