Apolipoprotein E ε4 Allele Is Associated with Vascular Dementia

Abstract

Background/Aims: The apolipoprotein E (ApoE) exon 4 polymorphism has been associated with vascular dementia (VaD) risk. Since not all studies confirm this finding, we explored this association in a case-control study. Methods: We genotyped ApoE in 144 VaD patients and 251 controls. Results: VaD patients were more likely than controls to have ApoE Ε3/Ε4 or Ε4/Ε4 genotypes: 23.6% versus 15.1%, odds ratio (OR) = 1.7, p = 0.036. This association remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, hypertension and diabetes by multiple logistic regression: OR = 1.9, p = 0.030. The association of Ε3/Ε4 or Ε4/Ε4 genotypes with VaD was strong among people with hypertension (OR = 2.9, p = 0.007) or diabetes (OR = 6.5, p = 0.011). The association was absent among people without hypertension (OR = 1.1, p = 0.79) or diabetes (OR = 1.3, p = 0.43). Conclusion: This interaction with hypertension and diabetes should be examined in other studies to confirm or refute this observation.

Association between a Genetic Variant of the Alpha-7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subunit and Four Types of Dementia

“…These results in the AD and VD groups are in line with our former findings in the Hungarian population [23,[26][27][28] and with results on other ethnic groups [29,30] . However, in the case of VD, no correlation between the 4 allele and VD has also been reported [31,32] .…”

Association between APOE ε4 Allele and Vascular Dementia: The Cache County Study

“…The APOE gene has also been associated with VaD in different ethnic groups [7][8][9][10][11][12] , but this association has not been consistently replicated [13][14][15][16][17] . All prior studies of this topic have used case-control or cross-sectional study designs, and many have also had relatively small sample sizes and relatively weak control on population stratification by age, gender, ethnicity or other unknown confounding factors.…”

Apolipoprotein ɛ4 and neuropsychological performance in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia

“…The authors speculated that 4 genotype exerts its effect on cognition either prior to the onset or at an early point in the AD process [14]. In VaD, the APOE 4 allele has been associated with the disease in some [2,6] but not all studies [22]. If APOE 4 influences cognitive performance in healthy adults, it may also affect neuropsychological performance in patients with VaD.…”