Imagine trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. That’s what it’s like for scientists studying Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in different populations. This study focused on a group of Taiwanese Chinese individuals to see how a specific gene, APOE, is related to AD risk. In other populations, age, sex, and ethnicity have been found to influence the association between APOE and AD. By examining 725 AD patients and 1,067 healthy controls, the researchers discovered that having at least one copy of the APOE ε4 allele increased the risk of developing AD. Interestingly, the risk was higher among older men carrying the APOE ε4 allele, while younger women had an increased risk at a younger age. These findings suggest that age and sex can affect how the APOE gene contributes to the development of AD in this Taiwanese population. Understanding these differences is essential for creating more personalized prevention and treatment strategies for AD. Want to dive deeper into this fascinating research? Check out the full article!

IntroductionThe Apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon (ε) 4 allele is a well-established risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Reports on white ancestry populations have showed that age, sex, and ethnicity have different effects on the association between APOE genotype and AD. However, studies on Asian populations such as Taiwan Chinese populations are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the association between APOE genotype and AD in a Taiwan Chinese population, and to explore if the association varies by age and sex.MethodsWe conducted a case-control study in 725 patients with AD and 1,067 age- and sex- matched controls without dementia from a Taiwan Chinese population. Logistic regression models were used to test the association between AD and APOE genotypes. Secondary analyses considered age (<75 or ≥75 years old), and sex stratified models.ResultsThe risk of AD was significantly increased for people with at least one copy of APOE ε4 (OR = 2.52, 95% CI = 2.01–3.17, p < 0.001) and in a dose-dependent manner. Our results did not show an statistically significance different in AD risk when women and men carrying APOEε4 were compared. Despite not reaching statistical significance, the risk of APOE ε4 for AD was higher among younger participants (OR = 3.21, 95% CI = 2.26–4.56, p < 0.001) compared to older ones (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.53–2.97, p < 0.001). When considering both sex and age, the risk of AD was higher among older men carrying APOE ε4 (OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.51–4.60 in men; OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.26–2.86 in women), while women carrying APOE ε4 appeared to have an increased risk at a younger age (OR = 3.29, 95% CI = 2.20–4.93 in women; OR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.40–6.05 in men).DiscussionThe APOE ε4 allele represents a major risk factor for AD in the Taiwanese population. The effect of APOE ε4 allele on AD risk appeared to be stronger among men aged 75 years or more and among younger women.

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