Genetic polymorphisms in older subjects with vascular or Alzheimer's dementia

Objectives - Paraoxonase, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), methylenetet rahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and apo E gene polymorphisms were evaluate d in older patients with vascular dementia (VD) or late-onset Alzheimer's d isease (LOAD). Material and methods Sixty patients with VD, 45 patients wit h LOAD, and 54 non-demented controls were compared. Results - No difference s in the distribution of paraoxonase, ACE, and MTHFR polymorphisms were fou nd. The overall frequency of apo E epsilon4 allele was "low"; epsilon4 alle le was more frequent in LOAD (17.5%) and VD (13.3%) compared with controls (9.2%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion Pa raoxonase, ACE, and MTHFR polymorphisms were not associated with VD or LOAD ; these common polymorphisms might have a marginal role in the pathogenesis of dementia in older subjects. In spite of a "low" frequency of the apo E epsilon4 allele in our sample, the frequency of epsilon4 allele was about d ouble in LOAD compared with controls.