BEHAVIORAL-CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT APOLIPOPROTEIN-E GENOTYPES IN DEMENTIA

Behavioral dysfunction is a problem in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), and is apparent in up to 67% of individuals. Such changes are a primary cause of individual institutionalization and often lead to th eir functional disability. As AD progresses, the worsening of behavior al dysfunction becomes increasingly evident and is linked with decreas ed patient survival. Unfortunately, some of the more common drug thera pies used in AD patients to stabilize other facets of their disease wo rsen behavioral dysfunction. Behavioral changes are associated with en dogenous and exogenous factors such as disease stage, environmental fa ctors, other medical conditions, drug regimen, and AD genotype. The mo st commonly examined and important genotype in AD is the apolipoprotei n E (APO E) series, and APO E genotyping is also a useful diagnostic t ool. The most frequent APO E genotypes encountered in AD are APO E-4/4 , APO E-3/4, and APO E-3/3. In the current study. AD behavioral dysfun ction, anxiety, and psychoses were commonly associated with the APO E- 3/3 genotype. whereas disorientation, agitation, depression and motor disorders were common among patients with the APO E-4/4 and APO E-3/4 genotypes. These differences were not statistically significant but th ey suggest that different APO E genotypes influence the phenotypic exp ression of specific noncognitive symptoms, including behavioral functi on, in AD.