The APOE gene — coding for a protein involved in lipid transport and implicated in the clearance of amyloid-beta, one of the proteins that builds up in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease — exists in three allelic forms: E4, E3, and E2. Researchers have strong evidence that the presence of E4 constitutes a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
The role of E2, however, is less clear. A new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher and published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, shows evidence that the E2 gene is associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline with age.
“A lot of attention is paid to genetic traits that put people at higher risk for diseases like Alzheimer’s, but understanding genetic traits that seem protective against cognitive decline is also valuable,” says study lead author Benjamin Sweigart, a doctoral student in the…
