You are seeing this message because your Web browser does not support basic Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing and what you can do to make your experience on this site better.


ABOUT ARCHIVES
Advanced Search

Welcome   | My Account | E-mail Alerts | Access Rights | Sign In


  Vol. 59 No. 7, July 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Archives
  •  Online Features
  Original Contribution
 This Article
 •Abstract
 •PDF
 • Reply to article
 •Send to a friend
 • Save in My Folder
 •Save to citation manager
 •Permissions
 Citing Articles
 •Citation map
 •Citing articles on HighWire
 •Citing articles on Web of Science (83)
 •Contact me when this article is cited
 Related Content
 •Similar articles in this journal
 Topic Collections
 •Alzheimer Disease
 •Behavioral Neurology
 •Cognitive Disorders
 •Genetic Disorders
 •Alert me on articles by topic
 Social Bookmarking
  Add to CiteULike Add to Connotea Add to Del.icio.us Add to Digg Add to Reddit Add to Technorati Add to Twitter What's this?

The Apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 Allele and Decline in Different Cognitive Systems During a 6-Year Period

Robert S. Wilson, PhD; Julie A. Schneider, MD; Lisa L. Barnes, PhD; Laurel A. Beckett, PhD; Neelum T. Aggarwal, MD; Elizabeth J. Cochran, MD; Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, MD, PhD; Julie Bach; Jacob H. Fox, MD; Denis A. Evans, MD; David A. Bennett, MD

Arch Neurol. 2002;59:1154-1160.

ABSTRACT

Context  Impairment of episodic memory is an early and defining feature of Alzheimer disease (AD). The apolipoprotein E (APOE) {epsilon}4 allele is known to influence risk of AD but it has been difficult to establish whether it affects episodic memory differently from other cognitive functions.

Objective  To examine the association of {epsilon}4 with decline in different cognitive systems.

Design  Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting  More than 40 groups of Catholic clergy from across the United States.

Participants  Older Catholic clergy members without clinical evidence of dementia at baseline underwent annual clinical evaluations for up to 6 years. Of 624 persons eligible for follow-up, 611 (98%) participated, of whom 161 (26%) had at least 1 {epsilon}4 allele. They completed an average of 5.5 evaluations (range, 2-7).

Main Outcome Measures  Incident AD and annual rates of change in episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, perceptual speed, and visuospatial ability.

Results  The presence of {epsilon}4 was associated with risk of developing AD on follow-up (relative risk, 1.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-2.89). In a series of random effects models, {epsilon}4 was associated with impaired baseline function in episodic memory and visuospatial ability and with more rapid decline in all domains. The effect of {epsilon}4 on annual decline in episodic memory (>3-fold increase) was significantly stronger than its effect on decline in other cognitive systems (P<.01), and at baseline, its effect on episodic memory was marginally stronger than its effect on other cognitive domains (P = .06).

Conclusion  The results suggest that the APOE {epsilon}4 allele influences risk of AD by a relatively selective effect on episodic memory.



INTRODUCTION
 Jump to Section
 •Top
 •Introduction
 •Subjects and methods
 •Results
 •Comment
 •Author information
 •References

POSSESSION OF 1 or more copies of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) {epsilon}4 allele is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer disease (AD)1-2 but the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. Since a defining feature of AD is progressive loss of episodic memory, several researchers have hypothesized that the {epsilon}4 allele is selectively associated with episodic memory decline in older persons.3-5 Support for this hypothesis has been mixed, however. The {epsilon}4 allele has been associated with episodic memory impairment in some cross-sectional studies3, 6-7 and with more global cognitive impairment in others.8-10 Although several longitudinal studies have examined the relationship of the {epsilon}4 allele to cognitive decline,4, 11-20 few have assessed multiple cognitive systems4, 13-14,17-19 and most of these have been based on only 2 observations during periods of 3 years or less and have conducted analyses on individual tests, which are subject to floor and ceiling effects. In addition, no previous longitudinal study has directly tested whether the association of {epsilon}4 with change in measures of episodic memory differs from its association with change in other cognitive measures.

We used data from the Religious Orders Study, an ongoing clinicopathological study of aging and AD in older Catholic clergy members, to investigate the differential effects of the APOE {epsilon}4 allele on change in episodic memory and other cognitive abilities. At baseline, participants were 65 years and older and free of clinical evidence of AD. They underwent annual clinical evaluations for up to 6 years, including detailed cognitive function testing and clinical classification of AD, with follow-up participation in survivors exceeding 95%. Composite measures of episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, perceptual speed, and visuospatial ability, each based on 2 or more individual tests, were the main outcomes. In analyses, we first assessed the association of the {epsilon}4 allele with risk of developing AD. We then used a growth curve approach to estimate the association of {epsilon}4 with the baseline level of and annual rate of change in each cognitive system and to test whether the effects on any 1 system differed from the average effects on the other systems.


SUBJECTS AND METHODS
 Jump to Section
 •Top
 •Introduction
 •Subjects and methods
 •Results
 •Comment
 •Author information
 •References

SUBJECTS

Subjects are participants in the Religious Orders Study, a longitudinal clinicopathological study of aging and AD in older Catholic nuns, priests, and brothers recruited from about 40 groups across the United States. Eligibility required age of 65 years or older, absence of a clinical diagnosis of dementia, and consent to annual clinical evaluations and to brain donation at death. The study was approved by the institutional review board of Rush-Presbyterian–St Luke's Medical Center (Chicago, Ill).

Participants enrolled in the Religious Orders Study by October 2000 were eligible for analyses in this study if they had a valid APOE genotype, did not meet criteria for dementia at baseline, and survived to the first follow-up date. Of 624 people who met these criteria, 611 (97.9%) completed at least 2 evaluations (mean, 5.5 evaluations; 97.3% of possible evaluations in survivors). Analyses are based on this group.

CLINICAL EVALUATION

At baseline, each person had a uniform evaluation, which was repeated annually, with examiners blinded to previously collected information as previously described.21-24 It included a medical history, neurologic examination, cognitive function testing, and review of brain scan when available. On the basis of this evaluation, a board-certified neurologist classified people with respect to AD and other common neurologic disorders. The diagnosis of dementia and AD was based on the criteria of the joint working group of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS/ADRDA).25 Dementia required a history of cognitive decline and impairment in at least 2 cognitive domains, one of which had to be memory for the dementia to meet AD criteria. Those who met these criteria and had another condition judged to contribute to cognitive impairment, termed "possible AD" in the NINCDS/ADRDA system, were also included. A total of 53 persons met dementia criteria at baseline and they were excluded from the analyses.

COGNITIVE FUNCTION ASSESSMENT

A set of 21 tests was administered as part of each evaluation. One test, the Mini-Mental State Examination,26 was used only for descriptive purposes, and another test, Complex Ideational Material,27 was not used in analyses because of a very skewed distribution. The remaining 19 tests were grouped into 5 domains of cognitive function, based in part on a previous factor analysis.24 (1) Episodic memory: Word List Memory, Recall, and Recognition from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer Disease neuropsychological battery,28 immediate and delayed recall of the East Boston Story,29 and Story A from Logical Memory.30 (2) Semantic memory: 20-item version of Boston Naming Test,31 Verbal Fluency,28 15-item version of Extended Range Vocabulary,32 20-item version of National Adult Reading Test,33 and subsequent modifications.34-35 (3) Working memory: Digit Span Forward and Digit Span Backward,30 Digit Ordering,36 and Alpha Span.37 (4) Perceptual speed: Symbol Digit Modalities Test–Oral Version38 and Number Comparison.32 (5) Visuospatial ability: 15-item version of Judgment of Line Orientation39 and a 17-item version of Standard Progressive Matrices.40

A composite measure of each cognitive domain was formed, as previously described,24 by converting raw scores on the tests grouped in that domain to z scores, using the baseline mean and SD, and computing the average. To assess the differential association of {epsilon}4 with episodic memory compared with other cognitive domains, we computed the mean score in domains other than episodic memory to yield a nonmemory composite. Composite measures to contrast with each of the other 4 cognitive domain measures were constructed in the same way, by averaging scores from the other domain measures.

APOE GENOTYPING

Blood was collected at each participating Religious Orders Study site with acid citrate dextrose anticoagulant and stored at room temperature; it underwent lymphocyte separation within 24 hours of collection. DNA was extracted from approximately 2 to 3 million cells using a Puregene DNA isolation kit (Gentra, Minneapolis, Minn), with APOE genotypes determined according to the method described by Hixson and Vernier.41 Genotyping was done by an investigator blinded to all clinical data.

DATA ANALYSIS

For all analyses, participants were divided into those with 1 or more {epsilon}4 alleles (ie, {epsilon}2/4, {epsilon}3/4, and {epsilon}4/4) and those without an {epsilon}4 allele (ie, {epsilon}2/2, {epsilon}2/3, and {epsilon}3/3).

We used a Cox proportional hazards model to assess how the presence of {epsilon}4 affected the risk of developing AD during the 6 years of observation, adjusting for the potentially confounding effects of age, sex, and education.42

Random effects models were used to characterize individual paths of change in each cognitive measure and to examine how the {epsilon}4 allele was associated with initial level of function and annual rate of change.24, 43-44 In this growth curve approach, each individual's path is assumed to follow the mean path of the group except for random effects that cause the initial level of function (ie, intercept) to be higher or lower and the rate of change (ie, slope) to be faster or slower. These random effects were assumed to follow a bivariate normal distribution. They were used to estimate individual growth curves, which were plotted. Model assumptions about linearity, normality, and independence and homoscedasticity of errors were assessed graphically and analytically, and found to be adequately met.

To assess the association of the {epsilon}4 allele with change in each cognitive domain, we constructed separate random effects models for each of the 5 cognitive domain measures. Each model included terms for time (in years since baseline), the presence of {epsilon}4, and their interaction. The term for time indicates the average annual rate of cognitive change in those without {epsilon}4. The term for {epsilon}4 indicates the average effect of {epsilon}4 on cognitive score at baseline. The interaction term indicates the average effect of {epsilon}4 on rate of cognitive change per year. Each model was also adjusted for the effects of age, sex, and education.

To test the hypothesis that the {epsilon}4 allele is selectively associated with loss of episodic memory, we conducted a series of analyses contrasting the episodic memory measure with a composite measure of the other cognitive domains. First, we constructed separate random effects models for the episodic memory measure and the nonmemory composite, each with a term for time, and estimated individual intercepts (ie, baseline level of function) and slopes (ie, annual rate of change) on each measure. Second, we constructed a model that used both sets of intercepts as outcomes. The model terms included an indicator of which outcome was being analyzed (coded 0 for the episodic memory intercept and 1 for the nonmemory composite intercept), {epsilon}4, and their interaction. Terms were also included to control for the effects of age, sex, and education. The interaction of the indicator with {epsilon}4 denotes whether {epsilon}4 was more strongly associated with baseline impairment in episodic memory than with baseline impairment in the nonmemory composite measure. Third, we constructed a similar model that used both sets of slopes as outcomes. In this model, the interaction of the indicator with {epsilon}4 denotes whether {epsilon}4 was more strongly associated with decline in episodic memory than with decline in the nonmemory composite.

To determine if cognitive systems other than episodic memory were selectively affected by {epsilon}4, we repeated the 3 analytic steps outlined for each of the remaining cognitive domain measures. In each case, the domain measure was contrasted with a composite measure of the other 4 domains.


RESULTS
 Jump to Section
 •Top
 •Introduction
 •Subjects and methods
 •Results
 •Comment
 •Author information
 •References

ASSOCIATION OF APOE {epsilon}4 WITH INCIDENT AD

The distribution of APOE genotypes in study participants was as follows: {epsilon}2/2 = 1; {epsilon}2/3 = 72; {epsilon}2/4 = 13; {epsilon}3/3 = 377; {epsilon}3/4 = 139; and {epsilon}4/4 = 9. This distribution is comparable with those reported in several population-based studies.45-48 Subgroups of those with or without at least 1 {epsilon}4 allele were similar in demographics and baseline Mini-Mental State Examination scores (Table 1).


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
Table 1. Descriptive Information About Participants in the APOE Subgroups*


During the 6 years of observation, 102 persons developed AD (92 with probable and 10 with possible AD). Their APOE genotypes were as follows: {epsilon}2/3 = 8; {epsilon}2/4 = 7; {epsilon}3/3 = 58; {epsilon}3/4 = 26; and {epsilon}4/4 = 3. Four persons developed dementia due to other causes (eg, stroke, Parkinson disease). A proportional hazards model was used to assess whether the expected association of {epsilon}4 with risk of developing AD was present in this cohort, excluding these 4 persons with other causes of dementia and adjusting for age, sex, and education. Compared with those without {epsilon}4, the relative risk of developing AD in those with {epsilon}4 was 1.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-2.91). Comparable results were obtained when those with possible AD were excluded.

ASSOCIATION OF APOE {epsilon}4 WITH DECLINE IN DIFFERENT COGNITIVE DOMAINS

Table 2 presents the baseline mean and SD of each of the cognitive domain measures. We constructed separate random effects models to see how the presence of APOE {epsilon}4 was related to baseline level of function and annual rate of change in each domain after adjustment for demographic variables (Table 3).


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
Table 2. Mean and SD of Each Cognitive Domain Measure at Baseline*



View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
Table 3. Summary of Random Effects Models Examining the Relation of APOE {epsilon}4 to Baseline Level of Function and Annual Rate of Change in Different Domains of Cognitive Function*


In those without an {epsilon}4 allele, the episodic memory score declined an average of 0.021 standard units per year (95% CI, -0.026 to –0.016), as shown by the term for time. Those with {epsilon}4 had lower initial memory scores than those without {epsilon}4, by an average of 0.140 units (P<.01). In addition, those with {epsilon}4 declined more rapidly, by an average of 0.067 units (P<.001), which represents more than a 3-fold increase compared with those without {epsilon}4.

Those without an {epsilon}4 allele also declined in each of the other cognitive domains, with the average annual rates of decline ranging from 0.021 units (visuospatial ability) to 0.068 units (perceptual speed). Those with {epsilon}4 had lower visuospatial ability at baseline than those without {epsilon}4, by an average of 0.130 units (P<.05), but {epsilon}4 was not significantly related to baseline levels of semantic memory, working memory, or perceptual speed. Annual rate of decline was more rapid in all domains for those with {epsilon}4 compared with those without it, with increases of approximately 50% in working memory and perceptual speed and of approximately 150% in semantic memory and visuospatial ability.

COMPARISON OF APOE {epsilon}4 EFFECTS ON DIFFERENT COGNITIVE SYSTEMS

Figure 1 shows the average paths of change in episodic memory (A) and a composite measure of the other 4 cognitive domains (B) during the 6 years of observation in the APOE subgroups. The deleterious effect of {epsilon}4 on episodic memory seems to be stronger and to emerge earlier than its effect on the nonmemory composite.



View larger version (9K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
Figure 1. Average paths of change in episodic memory (A) and a composite measure of other cognitive domains (B) in typical participants with or without at least 1 apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 allele.


To test the hypothesis that APOE {epsilon}4 selectively affected episodic memory at baseline, we constructed a model that used baseline scores on both episodic memory and the nonmemory composite as outcomes. The model terms included an indicator of which outcome was being analyzed (ie, episodic memory or nonmemory composite), {epsilon}4, and their interaction. The estimate of this interaction term is presented in the first row of Table 4. It indicates that at baseline, the {epsilon}4 association with episodic memory impairment was marginally stronger than its association with impairment in the nonmemory composite (P = .06).


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
Table 4. Differential Effect of APOE {epsilon}4 in Each Cognitive Domain Compared With a Composite of the Other Cognitive Domains


To test the hypothesis that {epsilon}4 selectively affected decline in episodic memory, we repeated the previous analysis, except that annual rates of change in episodic memory and in the nonmemory composite were used as outcomes instead of the baseline scores on those measures. The interaction of {epsilon}4 with the indicator term, presented in the second row of Table 4, was significant, denoting that {epsilon}4 had a stronger association with decline in episodic memory than with decline in the nonmemory composite.

To ascertain whether cognitive domains other than episodic memory were differentially affected by {epsilon}4, we repeated the same analytic steps for each of the other cognitive domains. Table 4 presents the key interaction term from each of the analyses comparing {epsilon}4 effects on a cognitive domain measure with its effects on a composite of the other 4 domains, and Figure 2 shows the average decline in each domain compared with the decline in the composite of the other 4 domains in the APOE subgroups. In semantic memory, {epsilon}4 had a weaker association with baseline level of the domain measure compared with the composite measure but {epsilon}4 was not differentially associated with annual change. Baseline function in the other 3 domains was not differentially associated with {epsilon}4 but rate of change was. In each case, {epsilon}4 had a weaker association with change in the domain measure than it did with change in the composite measure.



View larger version (29K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
Figure 2. Average paths of change in cognitive domains (A) and composite measures (B) in typical participants with or without at least 1 apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 allele. The composite measure paired with each cognitive domain is the average of the other 4 cognitive domains.



COMMENT
 Jump to Section
 •Top
 •Introduction
 •Subjects and methods
 •Results
 •Comment
 •Author information
 •References

Because the APOE {epsilon}4 allele is associated with increased risk of AD, it must, at some level, also be related to decline in multiple cognitive systems. However, the extent to which {epsilon}4 has a relatively selective effect on episodic memory has been difficult to establish in previous research. In this 6-year longitudinal study of older persons, we found that possession of 1 or more {epsilon}4 alleles was associated with rate of decline in all forms of cognitive function. However, the effect of {epsilon}4 on change in episodic memory was much more pronounced. Further, at baseline, {epsilon}4 had a marginally stronger association with impairment in episodic memory compared with other cognitive functions, suggesting that {epsilon}4 effects on episodic memory precede those on other cognitive systems. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that {epsilon}4 has a relatively selective effect on episodic memory.

The biological mechanisms through which the {epsilon}4 allele affects cognitive function and the development of AD are not well understood. Some studies have reported an association between {epsilon}4 and level of AD pathology, particularly {beta}-amyloid accumulation.49 By contrast, APOE is also involved in neuronal repair and survival50-51 and in atherosclerosis,52-53 suggesting that {epsilon}4 may be related to disease through other mechanisms. Further, {epsilon}4 has been related to dementia in other diseases that are not typically associated with selective impairment of episodic memory. Although clinicopathological studies will be needed to more definitively address this issue, our results are consistent with the idea that {epsilon}4 influences risk of AD primarily by affecting the usual biological process that leads to AD rather than by some other mechanism.

Previous longitudinal studies have found that {epsilon}4 is associated with decline on tests of episodic memory,4, 15, 17-19 perceptual speed,12, 14, 20 and global cognition.11-12,16, 18, 20 Our results build on these findings by showing that {epsilon}4 is associated with decline in all cognitive systems but that its effect on episodic memory is relatively stronger than its effects on other forms of thinking.

Confidence in these findings is strengthened by several factors. First, there was an average of more than 5 evenly spaced observations per person, making it possible to reliably characterize change in individuals. Second, follow-up participation in survivors exceeded 95%, making it unlikely that attrition could substantially bias estimates of change. Third, composites of 2 or more individual cognitive function tests were used as outcomes, reducing the opportunity for floor and ceiling effects and other sources of measurement error to affect estimates of change. Fourth, the hypothesis that {epsilon}4 has a stronger association with episodic memory than with other cognitive functions was supported by both cross-sectional and longitudinal data.

Several limitations should be noted. First, findings in this selected group may not generalize to other groups. Participants were predominantly white, and there is evidence that APOE effects differ in other ethnic/racial groups.54 On average, participants also differ from older people in the US population in education and lifestyle. It is possible that within-group similarities in lifestyle may have helped to highlight the behavioral effects of genetic differences by reducing the confounding effects of other environmental variables associated with cognitive decline and AD. Second, we cannot rule out the possibility that psychometric differences between the outcome measures may have contributed to their differential association with APOE {epsilon}4.


AUTHOR INFORMATION
 Jump to Section
 •Top
 •Introduction
 •Subjects and methods
 •Results
 •Comment
 •Author information
 •References

Accepted for publication January 7, 2002.

Author contributions: Study concept and design (Drs Wilson, Evans, and Bennett); acquisition of data (Drs Wilson, Schneider, Aggarwal, Cochran, Berry-Kravis, Fox, Evans, Bennett, and Ms Bach); analysis and interpretation of data (Drs Wilson, Barnes, Beckett, and Bennett); drafting of the manuscript (Drs Wilson, Aggarwal, Bennett, and Ms Bach); critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content (Drs Wilson, Schneider, Barnes, Beckett, Cochran, Berry-Kravis, Fox, Evans, and Bennett); statistical expertise (Drs Beckett and Bennett); obtained funding (Drs Schneider, Evans, and Bennett); administrative, technical, and material support (Drs Wilson, Barnes, Cochran, Berry-Kravis, Fox, Evans, Bennett, and Ms Bach); study supervision (Drs Aggarwal and Bennett and Ms Bach).

This research was supported by grants R01 AG15819, K08 AG00849, and P30 AG10161 from the National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Md.

We are indebted to the altruism and support of the hundreds of nuns, priests, and brothers from the following groups participating in the Religious Orders Study: Archdiocesan priests of Chicago, Ill, Dubuque, Iowa, and Milwaukee, Wis; Benedictine Monks, Lisle, Ill, and Collegeville, Minn; Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Erie, Pa; Benedictine Sisters of the Sacred Heart, Lisle, Ill; Capuchins, Appleton, Wis; Christian Brothers, Chicago, Ill, and Memphis, Tenn; Diocesan priests of Gary, Ind; Dominicans, River Forest, Ill; Felician Sisters, Chicago, Ill; Franciscan Handmaids of Mary, New York, NY; Franciscans, Chicago, Ill; Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, Techny, Ill; Maryknolls, Los Altos, Calif, and Maryknoll, NY; Norbertines, DePere, Wis; Oblate Sisters of Providence, Baltimore, Md; Passionists, Chicago, Ill; Presentation Sisters, BVM, Dubuque, Iowa; Servites, Chicago, Ill; Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, Chicago, Ill, and Sinsinawa, Wis; Sisters of Charity, BVM, Chicago, Ill, and Dubuque, Iowa; Sisters of the Holy Family, New Orleans, La; Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, DesPlaines, Ill; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Chicago, Ill, Aurora, Ill, and Erie, Pa; Sisters of St Benedict, St Cloud and St Joseph, Minn; Sisters of St Casimir, Chicago, Ill; Sisters of St Francis of Mary Immaculate, Joliet, Ill; Sisters of St Joseph of LaGrange, LaGrange Park, Ill; Society of Divine Word, Techny, Ill; Trappists, Gethsemani, Ky, and Peosta, Iowa; Wheaton Franciscan Sisters, Wheaton, Ill.

We also thank Todd Beck, MS, for statistical programming, and Carolyn DeVivo and Eithne Barton for preparing the manuscript.

Corresponding author and reprints: Robert S. Wilson, PhD, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, 1645 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 675, Chicago, IL 60612 (e-mail: rwilson{at}rush.edu).

From the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and Rush Institute for Healthy Aging (Drs Wilson, Schneider, Barnes, Beckett, Aggarwal, Cochran, Fox, Evans, and Bennett, and Ms Bach) and Departments of Neurological Sciences (Drs Wilson, Schneider, Barnes, Aggarwal, Cochran, Berry-Kravis, Fox, Evans, and Bennett), Psychology (Drs Wilson and Barnes), Internal Medicine (Drs Beckett and Evans), Pathology (Dr Cochran), and Pediatrics and Biochemistry (Dr Berry-Kravis), Rush-Presbyterian St Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Ill.


REFERENCES
 Jump to Section
 •Top
 •Introduction
 •Subjects and methods
 •Results
 •Comment
 •Author information
 •References

1. Corder EH, Saunders AM, Strittmatter WJ, et al. Gene dose of apolipoprotein E type 4 allele and the risk of Alzheimer's disease in late onset families. Science. 1993;261:921-923. FREE FULL TEXT
2. Saunders AM, Strittmatter WJ, Schmechel D, et al. Association of apolipoprotein E allele e4 with late-onset familial and sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Neurology. 1993;43:1467-1472. FREE FULL TEXT
3. Bondi MW, Salmon DP, Monsch AU, et al. Episodic memory changes are associated with the ApoE {epsilon}4 allele in nondemented older adults. Neurology. 1995;45:2203-2206. FREE FULL TEXT
4. Mayeux R, Small SA, Tang M-X, Tycko B, Stern Y. Memory performance in healthy elderly without Alzheimer's disease: effects of time and apolipoprotein-E. Neurobiol Aging. 2001;22:683-689. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
5. Soininen HS, Riekkinen PJ. Apolipoprotein E, memory and Alzheimer's disease. Trends Neurosci. 1996;19:224-228. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
6. Bondi MS, Salmon DP, Galasko D, Thomas RG, Thal LJ. Neuropsychological function and apolipoprotein E genotype in the preclinical detection of Alzheimer's disease. Psychol Aging. 1999;14:295-303. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
7. Soininen HS, Partanen K, Pitkanen A, et al. Decreased hippocampal volume asymmetry on MRIs in nondemented elderly subjects carrying the apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 allele. Neurology. 1995;45:391-392. FREE FULL TEXT
8. Berr C, Dufouil C, Brousseau T, et al. Early effect of APOE-{epsilon}4 allele on cognitive results in a group of highly performing subjects: the EVA study. Neurosci Lett. 1996;218:9-12. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
9. Blesa R, Adroer R, Santacruz P, Ascasco C, Tolosa E, Oliva R. High apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 frequency in age-related memory decline. Ann Neurol. 1996;39:548-551. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
10. Reed T, Carmelli D, Swan GE, et al. Lower cognitive performance in normal older adult male twins carrying the apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 allele. Arch Neurol. 1994;51:1189-1192. FREE FULL TEXT
11. Feskens EJM, Havekes LM, Kalmijn S, de Knijff P, Launer LJ, Kromhout D. Apolipoprotein e4 allele and cognitive decline in elderly men. BMJ. 1994;309:1202-1206. FREE FULL TEXT
12. Haan MN, Shemanski L, Jagust WJ, Manolio TA, Kuller L. The role of APOE {epsilon}4 in modulating effects of other risk factors for cognitive decline in elderly persons. JAMA. 1999;282:40-46. FREE FULL TEXT
13. Helkala E-L, Koivisto K, Hanninen T, et al. Memory functions in human subjects with different apolipoprotein E phenotypes during a 3-year population-based follow-up study. Neurosci Lett. 1996;204:177-180. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
14. Henderson AS, Easteal S, Jorm AF, et al. Apolipoprotein E allele {epsilon}4, dementia, and cognitive decline in a population sample. Lancet. 1995;346:1387-1390. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
15. Hyman, BT, Gomez-Isla T, Briggs M, et al. Apolipoprotein E and cognitive change in an elderly population. Ann Neurol. 1996;40:55-66. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
16. Jonker C, Schmand B, Lindeboom J, Havekes LM, Launer LJ. Association between apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 and the rate of cognitive decline in community-dwelling elderly individuals with and without dementia. Arch Neurol. 1998;55:1065-1069. FREE FULL TEXT
17. O'Hara R, Yesavage JA, Kraemer HC, Mauricio M, Friedman LF, Murphy GM. The APOE {epsilon}4 allele is associated with decline on delayed recall performance in community-dwelling older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1998;46:1493-1498. ISI | PUBMED
18. Riley KP, Snowdon DA, Saunders AM, Roses AD, Mortimer JA, Nanayakkara N. Cognitive function and apolipoprotein E in very old adults: findings from the Nun Study. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2000;55B:S69-S75.
19. Small BJ, Basun H, Backman L. Three-year changes in cognitive performance as a function of apolipoprotein E genotype: evidence from very old adults without dementia. Psychol Aging. 1998;13:80-87. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
20. Yaffe K, Cauley J, Sands L, Browner W. Apolipoprotein E phenotype and cognitive decline in a prospective study of elderly community women. Arch Neurol. 1997;54:1110-1114. FREE FULL TEXT
21. Bennett DA, Shannon KM, Beckett LA, Wilson RS. Metric properties of nurses ratings of parkinsonian signs with a modified Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Neurology. 1997;49:1580-1587. FREE FULL TEXT
22. Kordower JH, Chu Y, Stebbins GT, et al. Loss and atrophy of layer II entorhinal cortex neurons in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. Ann Neurol. 2001;49:202-213. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
23. Mufson EJ, Chen E-Y, Cochran EJ, Beckett LA, Bennett DA, Kordower JH. Entorhinal cortex {beta}-amyloid load in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Exp Neurol. 1999;158:469-490. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
24. Wilson RS, Beckett LA, Barnes LL, et al. Individual differences in rates of change in cognitive abilities of older persons. Psychol Aging. In press.
25. McKhann G, Drachman D, Folstein M, Katzman R, Price D, Stadlan E. Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: report of the NINCDS/ADRDA work group under the auspices of Department of Health and Human Services Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease. Neurology. 1984;34:939-944. FREE FULL TEXT
26. Folstein M, Fostein S, McHugh P. Mini-Mental State: a practical method for grading the mental state of patients for the clinician. Psychiatric Res. 1975;12:189-198.
27. Goodglass H, Kaplan EF. The Assessment of Aphasia and Related Disorders. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lea & Febiger; 1983.
28. Welsh KA, Butters N, Mohs RC, et al. The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), part V: a normative study of the neuropsychological battery. Neurology. 1994;44:609-614. FREE FULL TEXT
29. Albert MS, Smith L, Scherr P, Taylor J, Evans DA, Funkenstein H. Use of brief cognitive tests to identify individuals in the community with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease. Int J Neurosci. 1991;57:167-178. ISI | PUBMED
30. Wechsler D. Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised Manual. San Antonio, Tex: Psychological Corp; 1987.
31. Kaplan EF, Goodglass H, Weintraub S. The Boston Naming Test. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lea & Febiger; 1983.
32. Ekstrom RB, French JW, Harman HH, Kermen D. Manual for Kit of Factor-Referenced Cognitive Tests. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service; 1976.
33. Nelson HE. National Adult Reading Test (NART) Test Manual. Windsor, England: NFER-NELSON Publishing Co; 1982.
34. Blair JR, Spreen O. Predicting premorbid IQ: a revision of the National Adult Reading Test. Clin Neuropsychol. 1989;3:129-136. FULL TEXT
35. Grober E, Sliwinski M. Development and validation of a model for estimating premorbid verbal intelligence in the elderly. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 1991;13:933-949. ISI | PUBMED
36. Cooper JA, Sager HJ, Jordan N, Harvey NS, Sullivan EV. Cognitive impairment in early, untreated Parkinson's disease and its relationship to motor disability. Brain. 1991;114:2095-2122. FREE FULL TEXT
37. Craik FIM. A functional account of age differences in memory. In: Klix E, Hagendorf H, eds. Human Memory and Cognitive Capabilities: Mechanisms and Performances. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier Science Publishers BV; 1986:409-422.
38. Smith A. Symbol Digit Modalities Test Manual–Revised. Los Angeles, Calif: Western Psychological Services; 1982.
39. Benton AL, Sivan AB, Hamsher K, Varney NR, Spreen O. Contributions to Neuropsychological Assessment. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 1994.
40. Raven JC, Court JH, Raven J. Manual for Raven's Progressive Matrices and Vocabulary Scales. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press; 1992.
41. Hixson JE, Vernier DT. Restriction isotyping of human apolipoprotein E by gene amplification and cleavage with HhaI. J Lipid Res. 1990;31:545-548. ABSTRACT
42. Cox DR. Regression models and life tables. J Royal Stat Soc. 1972;74:187-220.
43. Laird N, Ware J. Random-effects models for longitudinal data. Biometrics. 1982;38:963-973. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
44. Wilson RS, Gilley DW, Bennett DA, Beckett LA, Evans DA. Person-specific paths of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and their relation to age. Psychol Aging. 2000;15:18-28. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
45. Evans DA, Beckett LA, Field TS, et al. Apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 and incidence of Alzheimer's disease in a community population of older persons. JAMA. 1997;277:822-824. FREE FULL TEXT
46. Katzman R, Zhang M-Y, Chen PJ, et al. Effects of apolipoprotein E on dementia and aging in the Shanghai Survey of Dementia. Neurology. 1997;49:779-785. FREE FULL TEXT
47. Myers RH, Schaefer EJ, Wilson PWF, et al. Apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 association with dementia in a population-based study: the Framingham Study. Neurology. 1996;46:673-677. FREE FULL TEXT
48. Slooter AJC, Cruts M, Kalmijn S, et al. Risk estimates of dementia by apolipoprotein E genotypes from a population-based incidence study: the Rotterdam Study. Arch Neurol. 1998;55:964-968. FREE FULL TEXT
49. Polvikoski T, Sulkava R, Haltia M, et al. Apolipoprotein E, dementia, and cortical deposition of {beta}-amyloid protein. N Engl J Med. 1995;333:1242-1247. FREE FULL TEXT
50. Mahley RW. Apolipoprotein E: cholesterol transport protein with expanding role in cell biology. Science. 1988;240:622-630. FREE FULL TEXT
51. Poirier J. Apolipoprotein E in animal models of CNS injury and in Alzheimer's disease. Trends Neurosci. 1994;17:525-530. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED
52. Davignon J, Gregg RE, Sing CF. Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis. 1988;8:1-21. FREE FULL TEXT
53. Hixson JE. Apolipoprotein E polymorphisms affect atherosclerosis in young males: Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) Research Group. Arterioscler Thromb. 1991;11:1237-1244. FREE FULL TEXT
54. Maestre G, Ottman R, Stern Y, et al. Apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer's disease: ethnic variation in genotypic risks. Ann Neurol. 1995;37:254-259. FULL TEXT | ISI | PUBMED


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Ten-Year Change in Plasma Amyloid {beta} Levels and Late-Life Cognitive Decline
Okereke et al.
Arch Neurol 2009;66:1247-1253.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Power of Personality in Discriminating Between Healthy Aging and Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease
Duchek et al.
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Science 2007;62:P353-P361.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Conscientiousness and the Incidence of Alzheimer Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Wilson et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2007;64:1204-1212.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Differences in the Association Between Apolipoprotein E Genotype and Mortality Across Populations
Ewbank
Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2007;62:899-907.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cholesterol and Triglycerides Moderate the Effect of Apolipoprotein E on Memory Functioning in Older Adults
de Frias et al.
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Science 2007;62:P112-P118.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Terminal Cognitive Decline: Accelerated Loss of Cognition in the Last Years of Life
Wilson et al.
Psychosom. Med. 2007;69:131-137.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Midlife Plasma Insulin-Like Growth Factor I and Cognitive Function in Older Men
Okereke et al.
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2006;91:4306-4312.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Apolipoprotein E {varepsilon}4 and impaired episodic memory in community-dwelling elderly people: a marked sex difference. The Hordaland Health Study
Lehmann et al.
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2006;77:902-908.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 and Change in Cognitive Functioning in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Swan et al.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2005;18:196-201.
ABSTRACT  

Plasma C Peptide Level and Cognitive Function Among Older Women Without Diabetes Mellitus
Okereke et al.
Arch Intern Med 2005;165:1651-1656.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Predictive Utility of Apolipoprotein E Genotype for Alzheimer Disease in Outpatients With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Devanand et al.
Arch Neurol 2005;62:975-980.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sex Differences in the Clinical Manifestations of Alzheimer Disease Pathology
Barnes et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005;62:685-691.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 Allele Increases the Odds of Chronic Cerebral Infarction Detected at Autopsy in Older Persons
Schneider et al.
Stroke 2005;36:954-959.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Effects of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Cognitive Function in Women
Stampfer et al.
NEJM 2005;352:245-253.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

APOE and cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer disease and non-demented aging
Bunce et al.
Neurology 2004;63:816-821.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Premorbid cognitive testing predicts the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease better than and independently of APOE genotype
Cervilla et al.
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2004;75:1100-1106.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Diabetes Mellitus and Risk of Alzheimer Disease and Decline in Cognitive Function
Arvanitakis et al.
Arch Neurol 2004;61:661-666.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Genetic influences on memory performance in familial Alzheimer disease
Lee et al.
Neurology 2004;62:414-421.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Negative Affect and Mortality in Older Persons
Wilson et al.
Am J Epidemiol 2003;158:827-835.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Rate of Cognitive Decline in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease: The Role of Comorbidity
Backman et al.
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Science 2003;58:P228-236.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Gender, cognitive decline, and risk of AD in older persons
Barnes et al.
Neurology 2003;60:1777-1781.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Terminal decline in cognitive function
Wilson et al.
Neurology 2003;60:1782-1787.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

MMSE Items Predict Cognitive Decline in Persons with Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
Ercoli et al.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2003;16:67-73.
ABSTRACT  

Apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 allele, AD pathology, and the clinical expression of Alzheimer's disease
Bennett et al.
Neurology 2003;60:246-252.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The apolipoprotein E {varepsilon}2 allele and decline in episodic memory
Wilson et al.
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2002;73:672-677.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  





HOME | CURRENT ISSUE | PAST ISSUES | TOPIC COLLECTIONS | CME | SUBMIT | SUBSCRIBE | HELP
CONDITIONS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US | SITE MAP
 
© 2002 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.