title: Genetic risk factors and markers for Alzheimer's disease and/or depression in the VITA study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In ageing population, both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and depression are common. Significant depressive symptoms are often co-morbid with cognitive impairment and dementia. In this study, we attempted to find various factors and markers for both AD and depression in a longitudinal cohort, the Vienna-Transdanube-Aging (VITA)-study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The VITA-Study consisted of 305 healthy subjects, 174 subjects with depression only, 55 subjects diagnosed with AD only and 72 subjects with depression as well as AD. Associations between AD and/or depression to gene polymorphisms APO E (epsilon4), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) 4G to A, serotonin-transporter gene promoter-length, dopamine-D4-receptor, ciliary-neurotrophic-factor-null mutation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (C270T) and to various known factors were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AD and depression were significant associated. Significant risk factors found for AD were low education, low folic acid and depressive-symptoms, while for depression were low education and higher nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) consume. Moreover, the ChAT polymorphism associated significant to depression. Gender, education, and ChAT significantly associated with the combination AD and/or depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Such studies must be conducted cautiously, as co-morbidities and gene-environmental-social influences may sway the results dramatically. We found in the VITA-study significant association between depression and AD and between ChAT polymorphism and depression.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Society, L. Boltzmann Institute of Aging Research, Vienna, Austria. Gruenblatt_E@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grünblatt
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zehetmayer
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartl
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Löffler
authors.forename: Ildiko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wichart
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rainer
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jungwirth
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Danielczyk
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Tragl
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riederer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4 / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D005492:Folic Acid; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase