ApoE-epsilon4 is associated with reduced memory in long-standing intractable temporal lobe epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the apolipoprotein (ApoE) epsilon4 allele and memory performance (verbal and nonverbal) in patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who underwent temporal lobectomy.


METHODS
Presurgical and postsurgical memory performance was examined in 87 adult patients with TLE (epsilon4 = 22; non-epsilon4 = 65) to determine whether the expression of ApoE-epsilon4 may be associated with memory performance in this population and to examine how this relationship may be affected by duration of epilepsy.


RESULTS
There was a significant interaction between ApoE-epsilon4 status and duration of epilepsy such that epsilon4 carriers with a long duration of epilepsy demonstrated the poorest memory performance on both verbal and nonverbal measures. This relationship was observed both before and after temporal lobectomy, with little change in test performance over time.


CONCLUSIONS
The ApoE-epsilon4 allele interacts with longstanding seizures to affect memory performance, both verbal and nonverbal, in patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy.
Busch
R M
RM
Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, P57, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. buschr@ccf.org
Lineweaver
T T
TT
Naugle
R I
RI
Kim
K H
KH
Gong
Y
Y
Tilelli
C Q
CQ
Prayson
R A
RA
Bingaman
W
W
Najm
I M
IM
Diaz-Arrastia
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D038481:Anterior Temporal Lobectomy; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017211:Treatment Failure
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4