title: APOE-epsilon4 polymorphism and cognitive deficit among the elderly population of Fernando de Noronha.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polymorphism of the gene for apolipoprotein E (APOE) is an important risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease. The epsilon4 allele of the APOE gene has been linked with a number of neuropsychiatric illnesses, and also with stress and depression among geriatric populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify APOE-epsilon4 polymorphism and correlate this with cognitive deficit among the elderly population of the island of Fernando de Noronha.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neuropsychiatric tests (mini-mental state examination, verbal fluency test and clock drawing test) were applied to 52 elderly people without Alzheimer's disease. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood and genotyping of APOE was done by the PCR-RFLP method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  87% of the elderly population (mean age 69.6+/-7.0) had cognitive deficit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed frequency of the epsilon4 allele was 10%, but the correlation between the presence of epsilon4 and cognitive deficit in this population was not statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anália Nusya
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Helker Albuquerque da
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Renan Carlos
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Eliane Maria Medeiros
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Vanessa Cavalcante da
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Edileine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dellalibera
authors.forename: Elizabete Malaquias
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Luiz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ataíde
authors.forename: Maria Tereza Cartaxo
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Muniz
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D053327:Apolipoprotein E4