APOE ε2 allele is associated with larger regional cortical thicknesses and volumes.
Liu Y., Paajanen T., Westman E., Zhang Y., Wahlund L-O., Simmons A., Tunnard C., Sobow T., Proitsi P., Powell J., Mecocci P., Tsolaki M., Vellas B., Muehlboeck S., Evans A., Spenger C., Lovestone S., Soininen H., AddNeuroMed Consortium None.
BACKGROUND: The protective effect of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε2 allele against Alzheimer's disease (AD) is controversial. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to clarify if the ε2 allele affects regional cortical thicknesses and volumes. METHODS: Regional cortical thicknesses and volumes were measured with an automated pipeline in 109 subjects with mild cognitive impairment, 114 AD patients and 105 age-matched healthy controls. RESULTS: In the mild cognitive impairment group, the ε2 carriers had thicker regional cortices at the transverse temporal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus than the subjects with ε3/ε3, and a larger cerebral gray matter and smaller lateral ventricles than the ε3/ε3 and ε4 carriers. In the AD group, the ε2 carriers had significantly thicker entorhinal and transverse temporal cortices, a larger whole cerebral gray matter, and smaller lateral ventricles than the subjects with the ε3/ε3 genotype, and a significantly thicker entorhinal cortex and larger cerebral gray matter than ε4 carriers. No APOE2 effect was found in the control group. CONCLUSION: The APOE ε2 allele is associated with larger regional cortical thicknesses and volumes in mild cognitive impairment and AD.