#147 - Hussein Yassine, M.D.: Deep dive into the “Alzheimer’s gene” (APOE), brain health, and omega-3s

The Peter Attia Drive

Peter Attia, MD

Health & Fitness, Medicine, Fitness

4.7 • 7.3K Ratings

🗓️ 1 February 2021

⏱️ 126 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hussein Yassine is a physician and researcher who studies brain lipid utilization in the context of finding preventative measures for cognitive impairment, specifically Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In my conversation with Hussein, we begin with a fundamental coursework in brain biology—including its architecture and energy systems. We go on to discuss what these systems look like when something goes wrong and cognitive decline ensues. We talk about the evolutionary origins of the ApoE genotype, with specific attention to the ApoE4 allele and its association with AD. We spend time discussing ApoE4 implications for the brain’s fuel utilization, notably omega-3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA. We briefly pivot to the implications of recent omega-3 trials for cardiovascular disease and return to what we currently understand about EPA/DHA and brain health; we contemplate potential dietary interventions across the lifespan to preserve and prolong cognitive function.

We discuss:

Hussein’s Background and introduction to brain composition (3:00);
The blood-brain barrier and brain filtration (8:00);
Lipids and brain function (13:00);
How the brain utilizes energy (18:00);
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) structure and function in the periphery (27:30);
ApoE function in the brain (38:15);
Evolutionary origins of ApoE isoforms (43:45);
ApoE4 variant and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk (53:30);
Dietary fuel preference with the ApoE4 allele (1:03:00);
The role of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain (1:13:30);
Comparing findings from the REDUCE-IT and STRENGTH trial (1:21:45):
The relationship between dietary omega-3 intake and brain health (1:34:15);
Preventing cognitive decline: A critical window for DHA in ApoE4 carriers? (1:42:30);
Hussein’s ongoing research and recommendations for E4 carriers (1:54:00); and
More.

Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com/

Show notes page for this episode: https://peterattiamd.com/HusseinYassine

Subscribe to receive exclusive subscriber-only content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/

Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/

Connect with Peter on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey everyone, welcome to the Drive Podcast.
0:13.0	I'm your host, Peter Atia.
0:14.8	This podcast, my website, and my weekly newsletter, all focus on the goal of translating
0:18.7	the science of longevity into something accessible for everyone.
0:22.4	Our goal is to provide the best content in health and wellness, full stop, and we've assembled
0:27.0	a great team of analysts to make this happen.
0:29.4	If you enjoy this podcast, we've created a membership program that brings you far more
0:33.2	in-depth content if you want to take your knowledge of the space to the next level.
0:37.3	At the end of this episode, I'll explain what those benefits are, or if you want to learn
0:41.0	more now, head over to peteratiamd.com forward slash subscribe.
0:46.3	Now without further delay, here's today's episode.
0:49.0	I guess this week is Dr. Hussein Yazin.
0:54.3	Hussein is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine
0:57.8	at USC.
0:59.3	This lab has focused for almost a decade now on lipid metabolism and nutrition and the
1:05.0	effect these have on cognition and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, paying
1:09.1	specific attention to the APOE4 allele.
1:13.1	Many of you listening to this podcast will no doubt be familiar with APOE4 genotypes.
1:18.1	We've spoken about this at great length in a number of podcasts.
1:21.2	This is really the deep dive into E4, what the implications are.
1:27.4	I actually wanted to speak with Hussein after we were part of a journal club where he
1:31.7	presented a couple of papers that he authored that were simply beyond fascinating.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Peter Attia, MD, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Peter Attia, MD and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.