Presence of apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele in cerebral palsy

The apolipoprotein E gene, which is located on chromosome 19, has three all eles (epsilon2, epsilon3, and epsilon4). Several recent publications associ ate the presence of the apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele with the occurrenc e of neurologic diseases, and consider it a risk factor for the development of central nervous system affections. A group of 40 patients with cerebral palsy was studied and compared to a control group of 40 subjects, and high er occurrence of the allele epsilon4 in the group of subjects with cerebral palsy was observed. A significantly higher risk of developing cerebral pal sy was demonstrated among those subjects with the apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele.