The effect of APOE genotype on Alzheimer ’s disease risk is influenced by sex and DHA status

An APOE- ε4 genotype is the strongest common genetic determinant of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The pleiotropic nature of apolipoprotein E, has made elucidation of the aetiological basis difficult to establish which is further complicated by the fact that the penetrance of the APOE- ε4 allele is modulated by sex, age, and nutrition.A greater metabolic consequence of the APOE- ε4 allele is likely to contribute to the fact that two thirds of AD patients are female. A higher tissue status of the marine n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is associated with a lower AD risk.

Source: Neurobiology of Aging - May 21, 2018 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Matthew Pontifex, David Vauzour, Anne-Marie Minihane Source Type: research