Effect of plasma lipids, hypertension and APOE genotype on cognitive decline

We examined the combined effect of plasma lipids/hypertension and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype on cognitive function in elderly individuals. Plasma concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), APOE, and history of hypertension were evaluated in 622 community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years and older. We investigated the associations between plasma lipids/hypertension and cognitive function in apolipoprotein E4 allele (APOE4) carrier (E4+) and APOE4 noncarrier (E4-) groups using 3-year longitudinal data. At baseline and 3 years later, cognitive scores were correlated with plasma APOE levels in both E4- and E4+, and HDL level in E4-. The combination of hypertension and E4+, but not E4-, was associated with a significant deterioration in cognitive function during the 3-year follow-up. Our findings suggest that an interaction between APOE and HDL is facilitated by APOE4, and is possibly linked with a protective effect on cognitive decline in later life. The findings also indicate a synergistic effect of an APOE4 allele and hypertension on the acceleration of cognitive decline.