Head circumference and incident Alzheimer's disease: modification by apolipoprotein E

The clinical expression of AD likely occurs when the accumulation of degeneration in specific brain regions leads to the descent below a critical threshold of "brain reserve" beyond which normal cognitive function cannot be maintained. The association between head circumference (HC), a measure of brain reserve, and the incidence of probable AD was examined in a large nondemented cohort that has been followed since 1992 and its modification by APOE epsilon 4 genotype.

Fifty-nine incident cases of probable AD were identified from 1,869 initially nondemented individuals seen at the baseline examination (1992 to 1994) and followed for a mean of 3.8 years. Variables measured at baseline included age, education, gender, HC, height, weight, and score on the National Adult Reading Test-Revised. APOE was genotyped at the time of the first biennial examination (1994 to 1996) and was available for 1,111 individuals in the cohort. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for probable AD for HC and other covariates.

Incident cases were significantly older, less educated, shorter, and lighter, had lower estimated verbal IQ scores, and were more likely to have at least one APOE epsilon 4 allele than unaffected individuals. The HR associated with the lowest tertile of HC (<21.4 inches) adjusted for education, gender, and APOE epsilon 4 was 2.3 (95% CI 0.7 to 6.9, p = 0.16). The HR for one or two APOE epsilon 4 alleles was significant (HR = 4.8, 95% CI 1.8 to 12.9, p = 0.002). The combination of low HC and APOE epsilon 4 strongly predicted earlier onset of AD with HR = 14.1 (95% CI 3.0 to 65, p = 0.0007).

Smaller HC, in the presence of the APOE epsilon 4 allele, hastens the age at onset of AD. These results support the brain reserve hypothesis and its importance in precipitating the clinical expression of AD among genetically predisposed individuals.