APOE ε2 allele is associated with larger regional cortical thicknesses and volumes.
BACKGROUND
The protective effect of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε2 allele against Alzheimer's disease (AD) is controversial.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to clarify if the ε2 allele affects regional cortical thicknesses and volumes.


METHODS
Regional cortical thicknesses and volumes were measured with an automated pipeline in 109 subjects with mild cognitive impairment, 114 AD patients and 105 age-matched healthy controls.


RESULTS
In the mild cognitive impairment group, the ε2 carriers had thicker regional cortices at the transverse temporal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus than the subjects with ε3/ε3, and a larger cerebral gray matter and smaller lateral ventricles than the ε3/ε3 and ε4 carriers. In the AD group, the ε2 carriers had significantly thicker entorhinal and transverse temporal cortices, a larger whole cerebral gray matter, and smaller lateral ventricles than the subjects with the ε3/ε3 genotype, and a significantly thicker entorhinal cortex and larger cerebral gray matter than ε4 carriers. No APOE2 effect was found in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The APOE ε2 allele is associated with larger regional cortical thicknesses and volumes in mild cognitive impairment and AD.
Liu
Yawu
Y
Department of Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
Paajanen
Teemu
T
Westman
Eric
E
Zhang
Yi
Y
Wahlund
Lars-Olof
LO
Simmons
Andrew
A
Tunnard
Catherine
C
Sobow
Tomasz
T
Proitsi
Petroula
P
Powell
John
J
Mecocci
Patrizia
P
Tsolaki
Magda
M
Vellas
Bruno
B
Muehlboeck
Sebastian
S
Evans
Alan
A
Spenger
Christian
C
Lovestone
Simon
S
Soininen
Hilkka
H
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D053329:Apolipoprotein E2 / Q000235:genetics*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
D053329:Apolipoprotein E2