INCREASED DENSITY OF SENILE PLAQUES (SP), BUT NOT NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES (NFT), IN NONDEMENTED INDIVIDUALS WITH THE APOLIPOPROTEIN E4 ALLELE - COMPARISON TO CONFIRMED ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE PATIENTS

The apolipoprotein E genotype and cortical senile plaque (SP) and cort ical and hippocampal neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) densities were deter mined in non-demented individuals and neuropathologically confirmed AD patients. The non-demented population was further subdivided accordin g to presence or absence of pathologically established critical corona ry artery disease (cCAD), hypertension (HyperT), or neither (non-heart disease; non-I-ID). The apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) allele incidence an d dose frequencies were increased in the AD, cCAD and HyperT groups co mpared to the non-HD controls. The mean number of SP and NFT was signi ficantly increased with the presence of the APOE4 allele within the en tire population. After grouping the non-demented subjects according to cardiac status, SP but not NFT density was increased among those indi viduals with the APOE4 genotype. In HyperT, the increased density of S P also correlated to the APOE4 allele dose frequency. The density of S P and NFT was increased in all regions of AD brain compared to all oth er non-demented groups, but no significant difference was found betwee n AD patients with or without an APOE4 allele. These two AD groups wer e age-matched, but could not be matched for disease duration. The data suggest a relationship between heart disease, APOE4 genotype and the presence of SP regardless of cognitive status.