Abstract

CACAO, João de Castilho et al. Apolipoprotein e polymorphism in first-degree relatives of patients with familial or sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Arq. Neuro-Psiquiatr. [online]. 2007, vol.65, n.2A, pp. 295-298. ISSN 0004-282X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X2007000200020.

INTRODUCTION: Apolipoproteín E (apo E) has been recognized as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: To analyze apo E polymorphism in first-degree relatives of patients with familial or sporadic late-onset AD comparing with families without AD. METHOD: Forty patients with familial or sporadic late-onset of AD, being both groups classified as probable, according of NINCS-ADRDA’s criteria. RESULTS: Allele e3 was the most frequent in all of these groups. Higher frequency of e4 when comparing the relatives of the probands with the relatives of the control group (p<0,0001) was observed. Allele e2 showed significant difference only between relatives of familial AD and relatives of control group (p=0,026). CONCLUSION: Apo E polymorphism has not differentiated familial from sporadic AD. The study of families allows to amplify the alelles e2 and e4 representativity, revealing, their value as protecting factor and of risk for AD, respectively.

Keywords : Alzheimer disease; apolipopotein E; dementia; genetics.