Association analyses of apolipoprotein E genotypes and cognitive performance in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment is a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the effect of APOEε4 on cognitive function of PD patients remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to understand whether and how carrying APOEε4 affects cognitive performance in patients with early-stage and advanced PD. Methods A total of 119 Chinese early-stage PD patients were recruited. Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, Hamilton anxiety scale, Hamilton depression scale, non-motor symptoms scale, Mini-mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Fazekas scale were evaluated. APOE genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reactions and direct sequencing. Demographic and clinical information of 521 early-stage and 262 advanced PD patients were obtained from Parkinson’s Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI). Results No significant difference in cognitive performance was found between ApoEε4 carriers and non-carriers in early-stage PD patients from our cohort and PPMI. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Amyloid Beta 42 (Aβ42) level was significantly lower in ApoEε4 carrier than non-carriers in early-stage PD patients from PPMI. In advanced PD patients from PPMI, the BJLOT, HVLT retention and SDMT scores seem to be lower in ApoEε4 carriers without reach the statistical significance. Conclusions APOEε4 carriage does not affect the cognitive performance of early-stage PD patients. However, it may promote the decline of CSF Aβ42 level and the associated amyloidopathy, which is likely to further contribute to the cognitive dysfunction of PD patients in the advanced stage.

Keywords

• Parkinson’s disease
• Apolipoprotein E
• Genotype
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Non-motor symptoms