Alzheimer's expressed differently in carriers and noncarriers of the Alzheimer’s gene

July, 2010

A new study reveals that having the 'Alzheimer's gene' doesn't simply increase your risk of developing Alzheimer's, but affects how the brain is damaged.

A comprehensive study reveals how the ‘Alzheimer's gene’ (APOE ε4) affects the nature of the disease. It is not simply that those with the gene variant tend to be more impaired (in terms of both memory loss and brain damage) than those without. Different parts of the brain (and thus different functions) tend to be differentially affected, depending on whether the individual is a carrier of the gene or not. Carriers displayed significantly greater impairment on tests of memory retention, while noncarriers were more impaired on tests of working memory, executive control, and lexical access. Consistent with this, carriers showed greater atrophy in the mediotemporal lobe, and noncarriers greater atrophy in the frontoparietal area. The findings have implications both for diagnosis and treatment.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-05/uops-nsc051410.php

Reference:

[1594] Wolk, D. A., & Dickerson B. C.
(2010). Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype has dissociable effects on memory and attentional–executive network function in Alzheimer’s disease.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 107(22), 10256 - 10261.

seniors

genes

Alzheimers

Related News

For the brain, iron levels may need to be just right

Iron deficiency is the world's single most common nutrient deficiency, and a well-known cause of impaired cognitive, language, and motor development. Many countries therefore routinely supplement infant foods with iron.

Why a select group of seniors retain their cognitive abilities

A certain level of mental decline in the senior years is regarded as normal, but some fortunate few don’t suffer from any decline at all.

Memory genes vary in protecting against age-related cognitive decline

Previous research has found that carriers of the so-called

Obesity linked to better cognition in post-menopausal women

Obesity has been linked to cognitive decline, but a new study involving 300 post-menopausal women has found that higher BMI was associated with higher cognitive scores.

How neighborhood status affects cognitive function in older adults

In the last five years, three studies have linked lower neighborhood socioeconomic status to lower cognitive function in older adults. Neighborhood has also been linked to self-rated health, cardiovascular disease, and mortality.

Which 'Senior moments' may signal mental decline

A telephone survey of around 17,000 older women (average age 74), which included questions about memory lapses plus standard cognitive tests, found that getting lost in familiar neighborhoods was highly associated with cognitive impairment that might indicate Alzheimer’s.

Timing of estrogen therapy is crucial

The very large and long-running Women's Health Initiative study surprised everyone when it produced its finding that hormone therapy generally increased rather than decreased stroke risk as well as other health problems.

When age helps decision making

Research has shown that younger adults are better decision makers than older adults — a curious result. A new study tried to capture more ‘real-world’ decision-making, by requiring participants to evaluate each result in order to strategize the next choice.

Memory fitness program improves memory abilities of oldest adults

In a study involving 115 seniors (average age 81), those who participated in a six-week, 12-session memory training program significantly improved their verbal memory.

Errorless learning not always best for older brains

Following a 1994 study that found that errorless learning was better than trial-and-error learning for amnesic patients and older adults, errorless learning has been widely adopted in the rehabilitation industry.

Pages