ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN APOE GENOTYPE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES POST STROKE

• Published in: Innovation in aging Vol. 1; no. suppl_1; p. 1154
• Main Authors: Donnellan, C., Redha, N., Al Banna, M., Al Jishi, A., Al Sharoqi, I., Bakhiet, M., Abdulla, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 01-07-2017
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.4212

The contribution of genetic factors such as the presence of ApoE E4 allele and its association with cognitive impairment post stroke remains inconclusive generally and is unknown within Middle-Eastern regions. This study examined the association of ApoE genotype with cognitive impairment and mood in stroke patients and compare these functions to healthy older adults.
A prospective stroke sample of n=50 patients (case group) and n=50 healthy ageing individuals (control group) were recruited from the largest Medical Complex in Bahrain. A neuropsychological battery of cognitive assessments (including pre-morbid, global and executive cognition), were conducted on all participants, and then stratified by cognitive function: no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment and moderate to severe cognitive impairment. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
The most frequent ApoE genotype was E2/3 in both case (44%) and control groups (63%). No statistical significant association was found by cognitive impairment stratification and ApoE genotype for either case or control groups. ApoE genotype E2/4 had worse cognitive function (χ
2
(3) = 8.29, p<.05) in the control group. A statistical significant difference was found between ApoE genotype and total anxiety scores in that ApoE genotype E3/3 were highly anxious in the case group (χ
2
(2) = 6.77, p<.05).
The presence of ApoE genotype E4/3 and E4/4 was low to non-existent in this Bahrain sample explaining why no significant associations were found with cognitive impairment. Further examination of mood dysregulation and ApoE genotype polymorphism may be warranted.