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.