Background: The epsilon4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene and low levels of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid beta-proteins 42 (Abeta) have previously been associated with increased risk of cognitive decline in old age. In this study we examine the interaction of these markers with episodic memory in a sample identified as having mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Methods: The sample (N = 149) was drawn from the Gothenburg MCI study and measured according to three free recall tests on three occasions spanning over four years. Second-order Latent Curve Models (LCM) were fitted to the data.
Results: Analyses accounting for age, gender, education, APOE, Abeta42, and interaction between APOE and Abeta42 revealed that the epsilon4 allele was significantly associated with level of memory performance in the presence of low Abeta42 values (< or = 452 ng/L). Associations between memory performance and Abeta42 were significant among the epsilon4 carriers but not among the non-carriers. The Abeta42 marker was, however, significantly associated with changes in memory over the study time period in the total sample.
Conclusion: The findings support the hypothesis of an interactive effect of APOE and Abeta42 for memory decline in MCI patients.