Full access
News
Published Online: 2 January 2014

Plasma APOE Levels Linked to Dementia Risk

Vabren WattsAuthors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatrics News
Volume 49, Number 1
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2013.12b3(w4)
Track CitationsAdd to favorites

Journal Digest

Though elevated levels of apolipoprotein E (APOE) was initially recognized as a protective factor against cardiovascular disease, accumulating evidence suggests that APOE abundance may have the same protective role in warding off neurocognitive disorders.
At the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions held in Dallas last November, researchers from Denmark’s Copenhagen University Hospital presented data showing that low plasma levels of APOE were associated with increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia, regardless of the presence or absence of the APOE epsilon 4 (e4) allele—a trait that is suggested to heighten risk for AD and dementia.
The study included nearly 80,000 participants who were placed into tertiles based on APOE plasma concentrations. Individuals with the lowest plasma levels of APOE had a risk for dementia that was threefold greater than those who had the highest levels of plasma APOE. This remained significant after adjustment for the APOE e4 genotype. Participants with low plasma APOE also had increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Ruth Frikke-Schmidt, M.D., Ph.D., the study’s lead investigator and a professor in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, speculated that low levels of plasma APOE reflect low APOE activity in the brain, which will result in less beta-amyloid being cleared—similar to fatty acid clearance in the cardiovascular system.
She said that this is the strongest evidence to date showing that APOE levels can affect dementia independent of genotype. “[Currently] we do not have any biomarkers for dementia... This suggests that plasma levels of APOE may be a new preclinical plasma biomarker for dementia,” she concluded. ■
Rasmussen K, Tybjaerg-Hansen A, Nordestgaard B, et al. ”Plasma Levels of Apolipoprotein E and Risk of Dementia and Cerebrovascular Disease in the General Population.” 2013. Circulation. Abstract 17377. http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/128/22_MeetingAbstracts/A17377?sid=1bbd3a32-b308-49a5-bf08-8abbdb09d8f1

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric News
Psychiatrics News
Volume 49 • Number 1 • December 21, 2013 – January 3, 2014
Pages: 1

History

Published online: 2 January 2014
Published in print: December 21, 2013 – January 3, 2014

Keywords

  1. plasma
  2. Dementia
  3. Alzheimer’s disease
  4. Schizophrenia
  5. Ruth Frikke-Schmidt, M.D., Ph.D.,
  6. biomarkers

Authors

Details

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format
Citation style
Style
Copy to clipboard
Tips for downloading citations

View Options

View options

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Share article link

Share

×

As described within the American Psychiatric Association (APA)'s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences. Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.