Effect of ApoE and tau on age of onset of progressive supranuclear palsy and multiple system atrophy

In addition to allelic association between genetic polymorphisms and diseas es, modulation of age of onset is a well recognised effect of disease susce ptibility genes. The ApoE is an element of4 allele is associated with an ea rlier age of onset of sporadic and familial Alzheimer's disease. It has bee n suggested that the tau genotype influences the age of onset of progressiv e supranuclear palsy (PSP), a form of atypical parkinsonism caused by tau n eurofibrillary tangle deposition. We have therefore analysed the relationsh ip between tau and ApoE genotypes and the age of onset of PSP and another f orm of atypical parkinsonism, multiple system atrophy (MSA). We have not fo und any effect of possession of the tau H1 haplotype or the ApoE is an elem ent of4 allele on the age of onset of MSA or PSP. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.