Publication
Title
The association between APOE genotype and memory dysfunction in subjects with mild cognitive impairment is related to age and Alzheimer pathology
Author
Abstract
Background: Memory problems are a main feature of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and may be related to the apolipoprotein E (APOE) 4 allele. We investigated whether the effect of the APOE genotype on memory in subjects with MCI was dependent on age and underlying Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology. Methods: Subjects with MCI (n = 180) were selected from a memory clinic setting. Subjects with at least one APOE 4 allele (n = 83) were compared to non-carriers on several memory measures. Subjects were reassessed 5-10 years later in order to identify those who developed AD. Results: In the middle-aged subgroup, the APOE 4 allele was most strongly related to decreased subjective organization and in the old subgroup to a decreased delayed recall. After excluding subjects with incipient AD (n = 33), results remained similar in the middle-aged subgroup, but in the old subgroup the APOE genotype was no longer associated with memory dysfunction. Conclusion: The presence of the APOE 4 allele is associated with impaired memory functioning in both middle-aged and old subjects with MCI, although the memory function affected varies with age. Its effect on memory function may be dependent on underlying AD pathology in elderly subjects, but not in middle-aged subjects
Language
English
Source (journal)
Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders. - Basel
Publication
Basel : 2008
ISSN
1420-8008
DOI
10.1159/000144072
Volume/pages
26 :2 (2008) , p. 101-108
ISI
000259784900001
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 06.11.2008
Last edited 04.10.2024
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