Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 is associated with neuronal loss in the substantia nigra in Alzheimer's disease.
Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 (ApoE epsilon4) is associated with an earlier age at onset of Alzheimer's (AD) and possibly Parkinson's disease, suggesting a general role for ApoE epsilon4 in neuronal plasticity. Among 31 prospectively assessed subjects with pathologically confirmed AD (without Lewy bodies), epsilon4+ subjects had a longer duration of disease (by 2.8 years, p = 0.04). Only cell loss in the substantia nigra (p = 0.002) was associated with epsilon4. Neither neurofibrillary tangles nor plaque counts were associated with epsilon4. Cell counts of pigmented neurons in single midbrain sections in epsilon4+ specimens were 72% of those in epsilon4- substantia nigra (p = 0.04). These findings confirm that cell loss in the substantia nigra is associated with epsilon4 in AD. Copyrightz1999S.KargerAG,Basel
Camicioli
R
R
Department of Neurology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR 97201-3098, USA. camiciol@ohsu.edu
Kaye
J
J
Payami
H
H
Ball
M J
MJ
Murdoch
G
G
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020532:Basal Nucleus of Meynert / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E