Genetic variation in apolipoprotein E alters regional gray matter volumes in remitted late-onset depression.
BACKGROUND
The apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene has been confirmed as the major genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). The effect of ApoE polymorphism on brain morphology still remains unclear in remitted late-onset depression (RLOD).


METHODS
A total of 37 patients with remitted geriatric depression were investigated with optimized voxel-based morphometry. We tested for differences in gray matter volume between ApoE epsilon4 allele noncarriers (n=25) and ApoE epsilon4 allele carriers (n=12) in RLOD patients.


RESULTS
The volumes of right medial frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus and left inferior occipital gyrus were significantly smaller in RLOD patients with ApoE epsilon4 allele carriers as compared to ApoE epsilon4 allele noncarriers. There was a significant positive correlation between gray matter volume of right medial frontal gyrus and Digit Span Test score in RLOD patients with ApoE epsilon4 allele carriers.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is cross-sectional, therefore it cannot determine whether abnormal gray matter volume is a state marker or trait marker of RLOD with ApoE epsilon4 allele carriers.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the hypothesis that the ApoE genotype might be associated with structural changes in RLOD.
Yuan
Yonggui
Y
School of Clinical Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
Zhang
Zhijun
Z
Bai
Feng
F
You
Jiayong
J
Yu
Hui
H
Shi
Yongmei
Y
Liu
Wen
W
D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4