APOE and risk of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
The APOE gene polymorphism and the -491 A/T polymorphism in its regulatory region have been associated with an increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. We examined these polymorphisms in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, to determine if a genetic predisposition may explain the risk for developing cognitive decline in MS.


METHODS
Eighty-nine relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive MS patients underwent to a full neuropsychological battery as well as to determination of APOE and -491 A/T polymorphisms. Genetic analysis was also performed in 107 population controls.


RESULTS
The APOE polymorphism was not associated with the risk of cognitive impairment in MS patients. The AA genotype of the -491 A/T polymorphism in the APOE regulatory region was more frequent in cognitively impaired than in cognitively preserved MS subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
The AA homozygous state of the -491 A/T polymorphism of the APOE regulatory region is associated with cognitive impairment in patients with MS.
Oliveri
R L
RL
Institute of Neurology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Catanzaro, Italy.
Cittadella
R
R
Sibilia
G
G
Manna
I
I
Valentino
P
P
Gambardella
A
A
Aguglia
U
U
Zappia
M
M
Romeo
N
N
Andreoli
V
V
Bono
F
F
Caracciolo
M
M
Quattrone
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018570:Risk Assessment
D001057:Apolipoproteins E