Zusammenfassung
To examine the relationship between apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (ApoE epsilon 4) and psychiatric symptoms, we compared epsilon 4/epsilon 4, epsilon 3/epsilon 3, and epsilon 3/epsilon 4 subjects. 659 outpatients with memory complaints underwent comprehensive neuropsychiatric assessment interview and neurological examination and ApoE genotyping: 98 were epsilon 4/epsilon 4. 18.4% (n = 18) epsilon ...
Zusammenfassung
To examine the relationship between apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (ApoE epsilon 4) and psychiatric symptoms, we compared epsilon 4/epsilon 4, epsilon 3/epsilon 3, and epsilon 3/epsilon 4 subjects. 659 outpatients with memory complaints underwent comprehensive neuropsychiatric assessment interview and neurological examination and ApoE genotyping: 98 were epsilon 4/epsilon 4. 18.4% (n = 18) epsilon 4/epsilon 4, 19.3% (n = 45) epsilon 3/epsilon 4, and 5.4% (n = 14) epsilon 3/epsilon 3 presented with symptoms of anxiety (p = 0.00001). epsilon 4/epsilon 4 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI; p < 0.0001) and those with Alzheimer's disease with late onset (p = 0.0175) were the most frequently affected. For anxiety, there were no gender dependent differences in the two homozygous groups, however, in the epsilon 3/epsilon 4 group, anxiety symptoms were evident in 7.3% (n = 8) of the male versus 30.1% (n = 37) of the female epsilon 3/epsilon 4 heterozygotes (p < 0.0001). Depression was found in 20.4% (n = 20) epsilon 4/epsilon 4 and 21.0% (n = 49) epsilon 3/epsilon 4 compared to 17.1% (n = 44) epsilon 3/epsilon 3 (p = 0.5181). Visual hallucinations were reported in 5.1% (n = 5) epsilon 4/epsilon 4 as opposed to 3.8% (n = 9) epsilon 3/epsilon 4 and 2.3% (n = 6) epsilon 3/epsilon 3 (p = 0.5278). We have seen a higher association of anxiety with the ApoE epsilon 4 allele across all stages of disease and what may be a dosing effect in the early stage (MCI) for this ostensible risk, since we see a significantly higher frequency in the ApoE epsilon 4 homozygotes when compared to the heterozygotes.
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