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No evidence of Alzheimer’s pathology in younger carriers of Alzheimer’s gene

Submitted by Fiona McPherson on

Two studies indicate that young people carrying the “Alzheimer’s gene” (ApoE4) do not have the pathological changes found later in life. The first study, involving 1412 adolescents, found no differences in hippocampal volume or asymmetry as a function of gene status. The second study, involving 173 young adults (average age, 28 ± 7.6 years), found no difference in plasma concentrations of amyloid-beta peptides.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-04/ip-neo040614.php

Khan, W., Giampietro, V., Ginestet, C., Dell’Acqua, F., Bouls, D., Newhouse, S., … Simmons, A. (2014). No Differences in Hippocampal Volume between Carriers and Non-Carriers of the ApoE ε4 and ε2 Alleles in Young Healthy Adolescents. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 40(1), 37-43. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/JAD-131841 (Original work published 2014)

Zimmermann, R., Huber, E., Schamber, C., Lelental, N., Mroczko, B., Brandner, S., … Lewczuk, P. (2014). Plasma Concentrations of the Amyloid-β Peptides in Young Volunteers: The Influence of the APOE Genotype. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 40(4), 1055-1060. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/JAD-132687 (Original work published 2014)

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