Chris Hemsworth Finds Out He Has Higher Genetic Risk Of Alzheimer’s

Actor Chris Hemsworth recently learned that he has two copies of a gene that’s known to increase the chance of a late-life Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He was filming the National Geographic series Limitless, which features several episodes of Hemsworth undertaking physical tests that will test the human body and learning from experts about new studies pertaining to combatting aging.

In the episode, a doctor explained to Hemsworth that he has “probably somewhere between eight and ten times higher” a chance to develop Alzheimer’s disease in his life. “The idea that I won’t be able to remember to live the life I’ve experienced or my wife, my kids, this is probably my biggest fear,” Hemsworth admitted on the show after hearing the news.

Throughout the episode, he also explored what some studies have said helps your chance of staving it off, including diet and exercise and “new intellectual challenges.” He tested himself by leaving behind a map for his hike with a good friend and also revealed that his grandfather lives with Alzheimer’s while camping for the night.

While discussing this profound episode on Good Morning America Hemsworth said that the doctor he worked with warned him of the results before spilling the news to him on camera. He also clarified, “it’s not a pre-deterministic gene, it’s just an indicator that says I’m in a higher risk category, but it very quickly just became another wonderful motivation to make some changes.”

Hemsworth most recently appeared as, well, Thor, in Thor: Love and Thunder and the feature film Spiderhead on Netflix. He is currently filming the film Furiosa, a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road where he will be playing a younger version of Fury Road’s main antagonist, Immortan Joe.

Limitless is currently airing on Disney+. It was written by Darren Aronofsky and directed by Tom Barbor-Might and Kit Lynch Robinson.