APOE ALLELE FREQUENCIES IN ITALIAN SPORADIC AND FAMILIAL ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Recent studies have provided evidence of association of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) epsilon 4 allele and late onset familial and sporadic Alzhei mer's disease (AD). Epidemiological studies have established allelic v ariation at the ApoE locus. We have analyzed the ApoE gene polymorphis m in a sample of 446 Italian subjects. Our data confirm a significant association between epsilon 4 allele and sporadic AD. The frequency of sit allele in early onset familial AD patients was comparable to cont rol values suggesting that epsilon 4 allele does not represent a risk factor for early onset familial AD (EOFAD). Moreover, we found a not p reviously reported association between ApoE epsilon 2 allele and spora dic AD and EOFAD.