Apolipoprotein E4 accelerates dementia and increases cerebrospinal fluid tau levels in Alzheimer's disease

Neurosci Lett. 1999 May 21;267(1):65-8. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(99)00323-7.

Abstract

To examine the effect of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) 4 on the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the clinical course of 33 AD patients (17 cases with ApoE epsilon4 and 16 cases without ApoE epsilon4) was evaluated with the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biological markers. The decline of MMSE scores to zero was shortened in the ApoE4 group. During a mean follow-up of 20 months, a significant increase of CSF tau levels was observed in the ApoE4 group. A lower level of CSF A beta1-42(43) was found in both the ApoE4 and non-ApoE4 groups than in age-matched normal controls. The ApoE epsilon4 allele accelerates the progression of dementia and increases the levels of CSF tau in AD patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Apolipoprotein E4
  • Apolipoproteins E / physiology*
  • Dementia / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Dementia / etiology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Status Schedule
  • Middle Aged
  • tau Proteins / cerebrospinal fluid*

Substances

  • Apolipoprotein E4
  • Apolipoproteins E
  • tau Proteins