This study sought to determine if there are detectible influences on the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) from the genetic risk factor for AD, the epsilon4 allele of apolipoprotein-E (APOE). Using data from two cohorts of AD patients, a cross-sectional latent variable model of AD was tested with three symptom factors explaining variability in the observed variables after taking a general neurological factor into account. No significant influence of epsilon4 was detected. APOE's effect in AD may occur prior to clinical symptoms, or may simply be more subtle than these instruments can detect.