MEMORY FUNCTIONS IN HUMAN-SUBJECTS WITH DIFFERENT APOLIPOPROTEIN-E PHENOTYPES DURING A 3-YEAR POPULATION-BASED FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

The apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele is the most common risk factor f or Alzheimer's disease (AD). The epsilon 2 allele may play a protectiv e role in AD. Our previous cross-sectional study showed that in non-de mented elderly subjects the epsilon 2 allele is associated with better learning ability than other alleles. We wished to investigate the inf luence of different apolipoprotein E (apoE) phenotypes on cognitive fu nctions in a S-year follow-up study starting with a random sample of 9 17 non demented elderly subjects. Episodic memory was examined with th e List Learning Test (Buschke's selective reminding method), as well a s with immediate and delayed recall of figures. Retrieval from semanti c memory was assessed with the Category and Verbal Fluency tests. Cons tructional abilities were examined by copying figures. Attention funct ions were examined with the Trail Making A and B tests. A total of 632 subjects completed the 3-year follow-up study. The subjects with apoE phenotypes E2/2 or E2/3 were able to maintain their verbal learning p erformance, while the learning ability of the subjects with other apoE phenotypes deteriorated. We suggest that successful mental aging may be at least in part associated with genetic factors.