EFFECTS OF APOLIPOPROTEIN-E GENOTYPE ON CORTICAL NEUROPATHOLOGY IN SENILE DEMENTIA OF THE LEWY BODY AND ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Apolipoprotein E (APO E) genotypes were determined in a UK population of neuropathologically confirmed control cases, and in cases of Lewy b ody dementia (SDLT) and late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). APO E eps ilon 4 allele frequency was significantly elevated in both SDLT and AD groups with a concomitant reduction in the APO E epsilon 3 allele fre quency. The epsilon 2 allele frequency in the AD group was only 25% of the control population, though because of the relatively small sample size this reduction was not significant; the epsilon 2 allele frequen cy in the SDLT group was normal. No significant association was found between senile plaque density and neurofibrillary tangle density in th e neocortex and APO E allele dose in either SDLT or AD. Although the p ossession of APO E epsilon 4 is associated with an increased risk of d eveloping SDLT and AD, actual APO E genotype does not appear to affect the burden of pathology. (C) 1995 Academic Press Limited.