title: The apolipoprotein E polymorphism is not associated with response to electroconvulsive therapy in major depressive disorder.
abstract: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Its role regarding psychiatric disorders is controversial. It has been suggested to affect antidepressant treatment response and response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In the present study, the association between APOE polymorphism and response to ECT in 119 patients with major depressive disorder was investigated. Moreover, a relation between APOE polymorphism and the age of onset of depression as well as the cognitive outcome of ECT was studied. In the whole population, no association was found between APOE polymorphism and response to ECT. However, in nonpsychotic patients, the epsilon2 allele tended to be more frequent in responders than nonresponders. Earlier onset of depression was observed in the patients with epsilon4 allele in late-life depression. There was no association between the APOE genotype and the cognitive change caused by ECT in the population as a whole. In women, however, epsilon2 allele may play a protective and epsilon4 allele a deleterious role in cognition during ECT.
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, Medical School, 33014 University of Tampere, Finland. martti.huuhka@pshp.fi
authors.forename: Martti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huuhka
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anttila
authors.forename: Esa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leinonen
authors.forename: Kaija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huuhka
authors.forename: Riikka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rontu
authors.forename: Kari M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mattila
authors.forename: Heini
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huhtala
authors.forename: Terho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E