No epsilon(4) gene dose effect on hippocampal atrophy in a large MRI database of healthy elderly subjects
NeuroImage. 2005-02-01; 24(4): 1205-1213
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.10.016
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1. Neuroimage. 2005 Feb 15;24(4):1205-13. Epub 2004 Dec 10.
No epsilon4 gene dose effect on hippocampal atrophy in a large MRI database of
healthy elderly subjects.
Lemaître H(1), Crivello F, Dufouil C, Grassiot B, Tzourio C, Alpérovitch A,
Mazoyer B.
Author information:
(1)Groupe d’Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, UMR 6194, CNRS, CEA, Universités de Caen
and Paris 5, GIP Cyceron, Boulevard Becquerel BP5229, F-14074 Caen, France.
The effect of ApoE genotype on grey matter (GM) atrophy was studied on a cohort
of 750 healthy elderly volunteers (age range 63-75 years). High-resolution
T1-weighted MR images were processed using both voxel-based morphometry and
region of interest analysis for hippocampal volume estimation. Significant
decrease of grey matter in epsilon(4) homozygous subjects (n = 12), as compared
both to epsilon(4) heterozygous subjects (n = 175) and to noncarrier (n = 563)
subjects, was found bilaterally in the medial temporal lobe, including the
hippocampus, and extending over the superior temporal gyrus. By contrast, no
significant difference was observed between epsilon(4) heterozygous subjects and
noncarriers at the level of the medial temporal lobe. Follow-up of the cohort
cognitive performances over 4 years after their MRI exam revealed that, as
compared to noncarrier subjects, the relative risk of cognitive impairment was
5.9 for epsilon(4) homozygous subjects (P = 0.03), while it was not different
from 1 for epsilon(4) heterozygous subjects (P = 0.92). These findings indicate
that, in the age range of this cohort, ApoE-4 effects on cortical atrophy and
cognitive performances of healthy elderly are limited to epsilon(4) homozygous
subjects.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.10.016
PMID: 15670698 [Indexed for MEDLINE]