<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<sec id="j_bjmg-2022-0012_s_005"><h3>Introduction</h3>
<p><italic>APOE</italic> is one of the prominent genes involved in the increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but its effect on cognition in patients who are not yet diagnosed with dementia or mild cognitive impairment is relatively understudied. We aimed to examine the effect of ApoE4 on cognitive performance in unimpaired middle-aged and elderly persons.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_bjmg-2022-0012_s_006"><h3>Materials and methods</h3>
<p>Our study included 51 cognitively unimpaired participants divided into ApoE4 positive patients and controls by <italic>APOE</italic> genotyping. The following clinical and demographic characteristics were collected: age, gender, education, social status, BMI, history of medical or psychiatric disorders. Patients with current anxiety or depressive disorders were excluded. Cognitive function was evaluated using MMSE, Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, Rey Complex Figure test, TMT A and B and verbal fluency test. The two groups were matched for age, sex, and education. Categorial data was analyzed using Chi-Square and continuous data using Student-T test (parametric variables) or Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric variables). Statistical significance was considered at p≤.05.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_bjmg-2022-0012_s_007"><h3>Results</h3>
<p>There were 11 (21.6%) ApoE4 positive patients and 40 (78.4%) controls. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. The ApoE4 positive group performed slightly worse on cognitive evaluations compared to controls but only the mean scores of the Rey Complex Figure Test – Memory reached statistical significance (p=.019).</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_bjmg-2022-0012_s_008"><h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Cognitive evaluation generally rendered lower scores in the ApoE4 group compared to the control group. However, only visual memory impairment scores were significantly lower in the ApoE4 positive individuals than in controls.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
APOE is one of the prominent genes involved in the increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but its effect on cognition in patients who are not yet diagnosed with dementia or mild cognitive impairment is relatively understudied. We aimed to examine the effect of ApoE4 on cognitive performance in unimpaired middle-aged and elderly persons.
Materials and methods
Our study included 51 cognitively unimpaired participants divided into ApoE4 positive patients and controls by APOE genotyping. The following clinical and demographic characteristics were collected: age, gender, education, social status, BMI, history of medical or psychiatric disorders. Patients with current anxiety or depressive disorders were excluded. Cognitive function was evaluated using MMSE, Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, Rey Complex Figure test, TMT A and B and verbal fluency test. The two groups were matched for age, sex, and education. Categorial data was analyzed using Chi-Square and continuous data using Student-T test (parametric variables) or Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric variables). Statistical significance was considered at p≤.05.

Results
There were 11 (21.6%) ApoE4 positive patients and 40 (78.4%) controls. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. The ApoE4 positive group performed slightly worse on cognitive evaluations compared to controls but only the mean scores of the Rey Complex Figure Test – Memory reached statistical significance (p=.019).

Conclusion
Cognitive evaluation generally rendered lower scores in the ApoE4 group compared to the control group. However, only visual memory impairment scores were significantly lower in the ApoE4 positive individuals than in controls.

APOE4 Status and cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly people

Balkan Journal of Medical Genetics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"APOE4 Status and cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly people"}

Introduction
APOE is one of the prominent genes involved in the increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but its effect on cognition in patients who...

Item	ApoE4 (N=11)	Controls (N=40)	p
Gender (Female)	7 (63.6%)	34 (85%)	.193
Age	65.64 (8.02)	64.75 (7.19)	.725
Education (years) – Mean (SD)	13.18 (3.49)	13 (3.20)
Median (IQR)	13 (12-16)	13 (10.25-16)	.872
From Urban areas	7 (63.6)	24 (60)	.827
In a relationship	5 (45.5)	22 (55)	.574
BMI – Mean (SD)	27.98 (5.08)	28.66 (4.61)
Median (IQR)	25.71 (23.44-34.24)	27.82 (25.31-31.82)	.544
Hypertension	8 (72.7)	26 (65)	.731
Type II Diabetes	1 (9.1)	8 (20)	.663
Currently pharmacological treatment for somatic disorders	8 (72.7)	34 (85)	.385
History of Psychiatric disorders	5 (45.5)	10 (25)	.187
HAM-D score, Mean (SD)	2 (2.28)	2.2 (1.59)
Median (IQR)	1 (0-3)	2 (1-3)	.393
HAM-A score, Mean (SD)	2.64 (2.34)	2.95 (2.14)
Median (IQR)	2 (0-4)	2 (2-4)	.699

Item	ApoE4 positive (N=11)	Controls (N=40)	p
MMSE
Mean (SD)	28.46 (1.81)	28.35 (1.33)
Median (IQR)	29 (27-30)	28 (27-29.75)	.553
RAVLT Trial 1
Mean (SD)	3.82 (1.54)	4.35 (1.73)
Median (IQR)	4 (3-5)	4 (3-5)	.342
RAVLT Trial 5	8 (3.07)	9.63 (2.73)	.095
RAVLT Total	31.36 (9.85)	37.28 (10.52)	.101
RAVLT Trial 6	6.64 (2.46)	7.73 (3.40)	.328
RAVLT Delay	5.82 (3.34)	7.25 (3.5)	.231
RAVLT Recognition
Mean (SD)	10.82 (3.71)	13.18 (2.49)
Median (IQR)	10 (7-15)	14 (12.25-15)	.085
Rey Copying
Mean (SD)	31.32 (8.10)	32.54 (6.27)
Median (IQR)	34 (32-35)	35 (32-36)	.275
Rey Memory	12.32 (8.95)	18.7 (7.39)	.019
TMT A
Mean (SD)	107.55 (117.1)	70.85 (48.04)
Median (IQR)	63 (46-113)	57 (43.25-85.25)	.261
TMT B
Mean (SD)	232 (205.77)	164.65 (90.26)
Median (IQR)	98 (85-480)	142 (102.75-204.75)	.828
VFT Total	27 (10.33)	28 (10.42)	.779

APOE4 Status and cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly people

Article Category: Original Article

Pubblicato online: 01 mar 2023

Pagine: 13 - 18

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjmg-2022-0012

Parole chiave
cognitive impairment, elderly, subjective cognitive decline, SCD.

© 2022 Pavel N.A., Paun M.R., Matei P.V., Dutu I., Tudose C., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics

Cognitive evaluation of ApoE4 positives vs controls

APOE4 Status and cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly people

Article Category: Original Article

Pubblicato online: 01 mar 2023

Pagine: 13 - 18

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjmg-2022-0012

Parole chiavecognitive impairment, elderly, subjective cognitive decline, SCD.

© 2022 Pavel N.A., Paun M.R., Matei P.V., Dutu I., Tudose C., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics

Cognitive evaluation of ApoE4 positives vs controls

Parole chiave
cognitive impairment, elderly, subjective cognitive decline, SCD.