Apolipoprotein E genotype modulates effects of vitamin B12 and homocysteine on grey matter volume in Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the effects of vitamin B12 and homocysteine on brain volume are influenced by apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. We examined the effects in each subgroup (APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers) of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and healthy normal controls.


METHODS
Forty participants with AD and 20 healthy normal controls were recruited from memory impairment clinics at Pusan National University Hospital in Korea. All participants were APOE genotyped and underwent magnetic resonance imaging, including 3-D volumetric images for grey matter (GM) volume. A multiple regression model integrated into statistical parametric mapping was used to see if there was any correlation between vitamin B12 or homocysteine and GM volume in each subgroup (APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers) of AD patients and healthy normal controls.


RESULTS
There was a significant positive correlation between serum concentrations of vitamin B12 and regional GM volume in APOE ε4 carriers with AD but not in non-carriers. We also found that there was a significant negative correlation between serum concentrations of homocysteine and regional GM volume in APOE ε4 non-carriers with AD but not in carriers (P < 0.001, uncorrected for multiple comparisons; extent threshold = 100 voxel).


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings suggest that the effects of vitamin B12 and homocysteine on GM volume might be influenced by APOE genotype.
Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.|Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
Young-Min
YM
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Ji-Kyung
JK
Ha
Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.|Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
Je-Min
JM
Park
Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.|Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
Byung-Dae
BD
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.|Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
EunSoo
E
Moon
Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.
Young-In
YI
Chung
Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.
Ji-Hoon
JH
Kim
Department of Radiology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Hak-Jin
HJ
Kim
Department of Biomedical Engineering and FIRST, Inje University, Gimhae, Korea.
Chi-Woong
CW
Mun
Department of Biomedical Engineering and FIRST, Inje University, Gimhae, Korea.
Tae-Hyung
TH
Kim
Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Korea.
Young-Hoon
YH
Kim
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D006710:Homocysteine; D014805:Vitamin B 12
Alzheimer's disease; apolipoprotein E; grey matter atrophy; homocysteine; vitamin B12