APOE‐ε4 associates with hippocampal volume, learning, and memory across the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.04.005
• Publication Date: 2018-05-18T12:50:18Z
• Authors: Usman Saeed; Saira S. Mirza; Bradley J. MacIntosh; Nathan Herrmann; Julia Keith; Joel Ramirez; Sean M. Nestor; Qinggang Yu; Jo Knight; Walter Swardfager; Steven G. Potkin; Ekaterina Rogaeva; Peter St. George‐...; Sandra E. Black; Mario Masellis
• Keywords: Apolipoprotein E

Abstract Introduction Although the apolipoprotein E ε4‐allele ( APOE ‐ε4) is a susceptibility factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), its relationship imaging cognitive measures across AD/DLB spectrum remains unexplored. Methods We studied 298 patients (AD = 250, DLB 48; 38 autopsy‐confirmed; NCT01800214 ) using neuropsychological testing, volumetric magnetic resonance imaging, genotyping to investigate association of ‐ε4 hippocampal volume learning/memory phenotypes, irrespective diagnosis. Results Across spectrum: (1) volumes were smaller increasing dosage (no genotype × diagnosis interaction observed), (2) learning performance as assessed by total recall scores was associated only among carriers, (3) carriers performed worse on long‐delay free word recall. Discussion These findings provide evidence that linked atrophy phenotypes spectrum, which could be useful biomarkers progression in therapeutic trials mixed disease.