Apolipoprotein-E (APO-E) genotype and symptoms of psychosis in Alzheimer'sdisease

The authors examined the association of Apolipoprotein-E (APO-E) genotype t o symptoms of psychosis and depression in 501 patients diagnosed with proba ble (n = 343) or possible (n = 158) Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to N INCDS-ADRDA criteria. They observed the following APO-E genotypes: epsilon 2/epsilon 3 (n = 19); epsilon 2/epsilon 4 (n = 14); epsilon 3/epsilon 3 (n = 228); epsilon 3/epsilon 4 (n = 203); epsilon 4/epsilon 4 (n = 37). In con trast to previous reports, the results did not indicate a relationship betw een either the epsilon 4 allele or the epsilon 2 allele and symptoms of moo d disturbance in AD. However, an elevated risk for psychosis was shown, spe cifically, at the severe stage of cognitive impairment, among AD patients c arrying the epsilon 4 allele, after effects of age, gender, education, and level of cognitive impairment were controlled.