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Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism in early and late onset bipolar patients
F Bellivier1, J L Laplanche, F Schürhoff
1Laboratoire de recherche sur les personnalités et conduites adaptatives, CNRS URA 1957 Pavillon Clérambault, Hôpital Pitié-Salpétrière, Paris, France. fbell@ext.jussieu.fr
Neuroscience Letters
|November 5, 1997
Summary
The apolipoprotein E (APO E) gene
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Psychiatry
Background:
- The role of apolipoprotein E (APO E) gene in major depression requires further investigation.
- Genetic variations in APO E may influence the susceptibility and presentation of affective disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between APO E gene polymorphism and bipolar disorder.
- To determine if APO E influences age at onset and psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder.
Main Methods:
- Studied APO E gene polymorphism in 156 bipolar patients and 91 healthy controls.
- Stratified patients based on age at onset: before 18, between 18-45, and after 45 years.
- Analyzed epsilon4 allele frequency in different patient subgroups and controls.
Main Results:
- Early onset bipolar patients with psychotic symptoms showed a significantly higher frequency of the APO E epsilon4 allele (28.9%) compared to other bipolar patients (13.1%) and controls (12.1%).
- Statistical analysis confirmed a significant association between the epsilon4 allele and early onset bipolar disorder with psychotic features (P < 0.02 for patients, P < 0.01 for controls).
Conclusions:
- The APO E gene epsilon4 allele is associated with early onset bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms.
- APO E may act as a risk factor or influence the phenotypic expression of bipolar disorder, specifically psychotic symptoms and age at onset.