title: Stress, race, and APOE: understanding the interplay of risk factors for changes in cognitive functioning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Biological and environmental factors are thought to contribute to the development of cognitive decline (CD). The Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ϵ4 allele is the greatest known genetic risk factor. The current study focused on the extent to which environmental factors, specifically stress, influence the relationship between the APOE allele and cognitive functioning and whether this relationship is stronger for African-Americans compared to Caucasians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants consisted of community-dwelling older adults from the Duke Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (N = 4,162). Data were drawn from two waves, which were three years apart. Cognitive functioning was assessed at both waves using the Short Portable Mental Status (SPMSQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whereas there was no main effect of stress, there was a significant interaction between APOE status and stressful life events, such that increased stress in individuals with an ϵ4 allele lead to more errors on the SPMSQ than individuals with no allele. Inconsistent with predictions, there was a significant interaction between stress and race such that increased stressful events predicted CD in Caucasians but not African-Americans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent stressful late-life events have a greater impact on the cognitive status of individuals with an ϵ4 allele. While Caucasians appear to be less vulnerable to cognitive losses at lower levels of stress, as the number of stressful life events increases that advantage disappears for Caucasians.
authors: a Department of Psychology , Florida State University , Tallahassee , USA.
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Sheffler
authors: Jerad
authors: J
authors: Moxley
authors: Natalie
authors: N
authors: Sachs-Ericsson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics*; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics; D001741:Black or African American
chemical_list: D053327:Apolipoprotein E4
keywords: APOE; aging; environment; memory; stress