title: Association of the apolipoprotein E genotype with memory performance and executive functioning in cognitively intact elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test for a possible effect of the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (APOE ε4) allele on memory performance and executive functioning (EF) in cognitively intact elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors studied 202 randomly selected and cognitively intact older adults (65+ years) of the Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases Health Care Study. Intact global cognitive functioning was defined using a Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score ≥ 28. Performance in memory was assessed with the CERAD Word List and Constructional Praxis Recall, performance in EF with the Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B). Multivariable linear regressions were used to evaluate the association between cognitive performance and APOE status, controlled for covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the cognitively intact older adults, 21.3% (n = 43) were carriers of the APOE ε4 allele. Carriers did not differ significantly from noncarriers in terms of age, gender, intelligence level, or performance in memory but showed a significantly lower TMT-B performance as a measure of EF (TMT-B M time/SD = 105.6/36.2 vs. 91.9/32.7 s; Mann-Whitney U = 4,313.000; p = .009). The association between lower TMT-B performance and APOE ε4 genotype remained significant in multivariable linear regression analysis. Similar findings were found for the subsample of those 78 elderly, who reached a perfect MMSE-score of 30.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A lower EF performance in cognitively intact older APOE ε4 allele carriers might be related to an early Alzheimer's dementia (AD) prodrome. In this case, a stronger focus on first subtle changes in EF may help to improve early AD detection in those being at genetic risk.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health and LIFE - Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health and LIFE - Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig.
authors.forename: Francisca S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Then
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luppa
authors.affiliation: University of Leipzig.
authors.forename: Matthias L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Schroeter
authors.affiliation: University of Leipzig.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arélin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Leipzig.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1924-1202
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Leipzig.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thiery
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Löffler
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences.
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villringer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig.
authors.forename: Steffi G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Riedel-Heller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E