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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: November 14, 2017
What is the relationship among atherosclerosis markers, apolipoprotein E polymorphism and dementia?
C Altamura1, R Squitti, P Pasqualetti
1Department of Neuroscience, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
Abstract:
Evidence suggests the important role of vascular factors both in vascular dementia (VaD) and Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis. However, the relationship between apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism and markers of atherosclerosis is still controversial. The aim of the study was to investigate the interplay between APOE polymorphisms and atherosclerosis in patients with AD and VaD. In this cross-sectional study, 101 demented (68 AD and 33 VaD) patients underwent APOE genotyping and neck vessel ultrasound to evaluate carotid artery disease [intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques]. Patients with AD carrying epsilon4 allele presented increased IMT values with respect to non-epsilon4 carriers and VaD patients, whereas no relation was found between APOE polymorphisms and the presence or grade of carotid plaques both in AD and VaD patients. The epsilon4 APOE allele may promote intima-media thickening, interacting with other factors contributing to AD development.
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