Amyloid load in nondemented brains correlates with APOE e4.
179 Cognitively healthy adults enrolled in the Sun Health Brain Donation program between 7/91 and 12/07 were at least 60 years old and nondemented at the time of death (21 had developed mild cognitive impairment [MCI]). Amyloid plaque density, congophilic amyloid angiopathy (CAA), and neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) density scores were based on CERAD criteria and compared in apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 carriers (n=42) and noncarriers (NC) (n=137). Mean age (83.4+/-.6), gender (45% women), interval between death and brain harvest (3.1+/-2.4h), and brain weight (1200+/-119 g) did not differ between e4 carriers (n=42) and NC. Total plaque density was higher in e4 carriers than NC (6.8+/-4.9 vs. 4.3+/-4.4, p=.002), and this was true in each of 5 subregions examined. Total CAA (p=.002) and all subregion CAA burden was also higher in e4 carriers. Total neuritic plaque density (1.2+/-1.0 vs. 1.0+/-1.0, p=.18) and total NFT density (3.9+/-2.4 vs. 3.6+/-2.3, p=.50) did not differ between e4 carriers and NC, nor in any subregion. Eliminating the 21 with MCI did not alter these results. Nondemented APOE e4 carriers over age 60 have a higher burden of total parenchymal and vascular amyloid neuropathology than NC, but no difference in neuritic plaque and NFT pathology.
Caselli
Richard J
RJ
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, 13400 East Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, United States. Caselli.Richard@Mayo.edu
Walker
Douglas
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Sue
Lucia
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Sabbagh
Marwan
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Beach
Thomas
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D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D016657:Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000473:pathology; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4