BACKGROUND: Variants of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene influence the age of onset of Alzheimer's disease. APOE may influence the presentation of other neurological diseases. We investigated the relationship between the allelic variants of apolipoprotein E and clinical presentation in motor neuron disease. METHODS: 123 patients with motor neuron disease and 121 controls were studied. Diagnosis, location of onset and date of onset were recorded prospectively. Genotyping was performed blind to clinical information. FINDINGS: Possession of at least one epsilon 4 allele was significantly more common in patients with bulbar onset motor neuron disease (14/33, 42%) than in limb onset patients (20/90, 22%) and controls (26/121, 21%) (chi 2 = 4.93, p = 0.026 and chi 2 = 5.91, p = 0.015, respectively). INTERPRETATION: These results suggest that the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele may influence the pattern of motor neuron loss in motor neuron disease and that it may affect neuronal function in ways unrelated to the deposition of beta-amyloid or accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles.
BACKGROUND: Variants of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene influence the age of onset of Alzheimer's disease. APOE may influence the presentation of other neurological diseases. We investigated the relationship between the allelic variants of apolipoprotein E and clinical presentation in motor neuron disease. METHODS: 123 patients with motor neuron disease and 121 controls were studied. Diagnosis, location of onset and date of onset were recorded prospectively. Genotyping was performed blind to clinical information. FINDINGS: Possession of at least one epsilon 4 allele was significantly more common in patients with bulbar onset motor neuron disease (14/33, 42%) than in limb onset patients (20/90, 22%) and controls (26/121, 21%) (chi 2 = 4.93, p = 0.026 and chi 2 = 5.91, p = 0.015, respectively). INTERPRETATION: These results suggest that the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele may influence the pattern of motor neuron loss in motor neuron disease and that it may affect neuronal function in ways unrelated to the deposition of beta-amyloid or accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles.
Authors: D C Rubinsztein; J Leggo; M Chiano; A Dodge; G Norbury; E Rosser; D Craufurd Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 1997-04-15 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Yi-Ju Li; Margaret A Pericak-Vance; Jonathan L Haines; Nailah Siddique; Diane McKenna-Yasek; Wu-Yen Hung; Peter Sapp; Coy I Allen; Wenjie Chen; Betsy Hosler; Ann M Saunders; Lisa M Dellefave; Robert H Brown; Teepu Siddique Journal: Neurogenetics Date: 2004-10-02 Impact factor: 2.660
Authors: S Abrahams; L H Goldstein; A Al-Chalabi; A Pickering; R G Morris; R E Passingham; D J Brooks; P N Leigh Journal: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry Date: 1997-05 Impact factor: 10.154
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