title: Head circumference, apolipoprotein E genotype and cognition in the Bavarian School Sisters Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4 allele is correlated with an earlier onset of Alzheimer's disease symptoms; larger head circumference has been associated with an individual resilience against cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We explored if larger head circumference attenuates the effect of the APOE ɛ4 allele on cognition in 380 Catholic sisters covering the spectrum from normal cognitive performance to severe dementia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Linear regression analysis, adjusting for risk factors for cognitive decline, revealed that APOE ɛ4 was correlated with worse cognition and that larger head circumference attenuated the negative effect of the ɛ4 allele on cognitive performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Larger head circumference (i.e. larger brain size) seems to be associated with greater resilience against genetic determinants of cognitive impairment, possibly due to enhanced brain or cognitive reserve.
authors.affiliation: Department of psychiatry and psychotherapy, Technische Universität München, 22, Ismaninger Street, 81675 München, Germany. robert.perneczky@lrz.tum.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perneczky
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wagenpfeil
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bickel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D002508:Cephalometry; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005858:Germany; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E