title: Apolipoprotein E, cognitive function, and dementia in a general population aged 85 years and over.
abstract: We examined 510 subjects representing 83.2% of all citizens of a Finnish city aged 85 years or over. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, diagnosis of dementia by DSM-III-R criteria, and Apo-E genotype were determined. The prevalence of dementia was 38.6%. The odds ratio (OR) of the Apo-E epsilon4 carriers (with the reference population of people with the genotype epsilon3/epsilon3) for dementia was 2.36 (95% CI 1.58 - 3.53). There was a significant sex difference: The OR in women was 3.23 (95% CI 2.02 - 5.17) whereas among men it was insignificant. The mean MMSE score (+/- SD) among the Apo-E epsilon4 carriers (15.0 +/- 10.0) and noncarriers (18.7 8.6) (p < .001) differed among the whole population, but not within the demented or nondemented subjects analyzed separately. This study does not support the hypothesis that the Apo-E epsilon4 allele impairs cognitive functions of nondemented elderly, at least in those surviving to very old age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland. katijuva@katto.kaapeli.fi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Juva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verkkoniemi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viramo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Polvikoski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kainulainen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kontula
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sulkava
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000378:metabolism*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E