Cognitive functioning predicts vulnerability to financial exploitation in APOE e4 carriers.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Psychology

Background:

• Financial exploitation vulnerability (FEV) is increasingly recognized as a potential early indicator of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
• The genetic factor APOE e4 and cognitive status are known risk factors for AD.
• Understanding the interplay between these factors and FEV is crucial for early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the interaction between APOE e4 genotype and baseline cognitive function in predicting FEV one year later.
• To determine if FEV can serve as an early marker for AD-related neuropathological changes.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 95 non-demented adults (≥50 years) for two annual assessments.
• Collected saliva for APOE genotyping and conducted comprehensive neuropsychological testing.
• Used linear regression to analyze the relationship between APOE status, cognition, and FEV, controlling for covariates.

Main Results:

• No main effects of APOE or cognition on FEV were found.
• A significant interaction emerged: poorer cognitive function predicted higher FEV specifically in APOE e4 carriers.
• Cognitive domain analyses indicated nuanced relationships, with cognition being a risk factor for FEV in e4 carriers.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive function is a relevant risk factor for FEV in individuals carrying the APOE e4 gene.
• These findings support the hypothesis that FEV may be an early sign of AD-related neuropathological processes.
• FEV assessment, particularly in conjunction with genetic risk factors like APOE e4, may aid in early AD detection.