title: Neuropsychological Evaluation and Cerebral Blood Flow Effects of Apolipoprotein E4 in Alzheimer's Disease Patients after One Year of Treatment: An Exploratory Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alzheimer's disease (AD) is affected by apolipoprotein E (ApoE); however, its effects assessed by means of cognitive tests and by neuroimaging have not been sufficiently studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  We administered the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) and single-photon emission computed tomography imaging in patients with AD medicated with donepezil at baseline and after 1 year. Patients were classified as with or without ApoE4 and we evaluated the progress of AD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of covariance showed that cerebral blood flow after 1 year in subjects with ApoE4 is significantly reduced in some areas including the left lenticular nucleus, left thalamus, and right hippocampus compared with subjects without ApoE4. Paired t tests showed significantly reduced blood flow in several regions including the right hippocampus in subjects with ApoE4 and significant deterioration of ideational praxis in subjects without ApoE4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that supports the notion of ApoE4 playing an important role in the progress of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Utsunomiya
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Hyogo University of Health Sciences, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan ; Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Science, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Yoshiteru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takekita
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wakeno
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Aran
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tajika
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koshikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
keywords: Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale; Alzheimer's disease; Apolipoprotein E; Cognitive function; Donepezil; Single-photon emission computed tomography