Modulation of the age at onset of Parkinson's disease by apolipoprotein E genotypes

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients often develop dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients frequently develop parkinsonian signs. The apolipoprotein E σ4 allele is associated with increased risk and earlier onset of AD. We studied 137 unrelated white PD patients. Those with σ4 had the earliest onset (52.7 · 9.8 years), σ3/σ3 patients had an intermediate onset (56.1 · 11.1 years), and those with σ2 had the latest onset (59.1 · 13.4 years). The age at onset distribution for σ4/σ – was significantly earlier than for σ3/σ3 and σ2/σ3. These preliminary results suggest that apolipoprotein E genotypes modulate the age at onset of PD.