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Published on: January 20, 2023
APOE influences on neuropsychological function after mild head injury: within-person comparisons
A Sundström1, P Marklund, L-G Nilsson
1Department of Psychology, Umeå University, Sweden. anna.sundstrom@psy.umu.se
Objective:
To examine the relationship between neuropsychological outcome following mild head injury (MHI) and APOE genotype.
Methods:
Data from a population-based longitudinal study (n = 3,500) were used to identify 34 adults who experienced MHI during the course of the study. Their pre- and postinjury performances on a battery of nine neuropsychological tests were compared within person, and the postinjury performance was compared with that of age- and gender-matched control subjects.
Results:
The within-person comparisons showed that participants with at least one APOE epsilon4 allele (n = 11) had a significantly decreased postinjury performance on three of the tests, whereas the postinjury performance for APOE epsilon4-negative participants (n = 23) was unchanged. There was no significant difference in postinjury performance between participants with/without the epsilon4 allele, and neither group was impaired relative to controls.
Conclusions:
APOE genotype may influence the outcome following an MHI. Pre/postinjury within-person comparisons seem more sensitive than control group comparisons for detecting injury-related effects.
Insights
Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype may affect recovery after mild head injury (MHI). Individuals with the APOE epsilon4 allele showed decreased performance on neuropsychological tests post-injury.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Background:
- Mild head injury (MHI) can have varied neuropsychological outcomes.
- The role of genetic factors, such as Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, in MHI recovery is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between APOE genotype and neuropsychological outcomes after MHI.
- To determine if APOE epsilon4 allele status influences cognitive function post-mild head injury.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a population-based longitudinal study of 3,500 individuals.
- Identified 34 adults who sustained an MHI.
- Compared pre- and post-injury neuropsychological test performance within individuals and against age/gender-matched controls.
Main Results:
- Participants with at least one APOE epsilon4 allele (n=11) demonstrated significantly worse performance on three neuropsychological tests post-MHI.
- APOE epsilon4-negative participants (n=23) showed no change in performance.
- No significant differences in post-injury performance were observed between APOE epsilon4 carriers and non-carriers when compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- APOE genotype may be a significant factor influencing recovery and outcome following mild head injury.
- Within-person pre/post-injury comparisons are more sensitive in detecting injury-related effects than control group comparisons.
