Premium
Revision of the apolipoprotein E compensatory mechanism recruitment hypothesis
Author(s) -
Han S. Duke,
Bondi Mark W.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2008.02.006
Subject(s) - mechanism (biology) , apolipoprotein e , biology , evolutionary biology , medicine , philosophy , epistemology , disease
The association between the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is well‐established. Functional neuroimaging research has supported a compensatory mechanism recruitment hypothesis whereby nondemented ε4 participants use additional cognitive resources to buffer against episodic memory declines in older age, a mechanism that is presumably associated with encroaching disease. However, recent studies have implicated a beneficial effect associated with the ε4 allele early in the life span. These studies suggest a revised hypothesis whereby ε4 persons perform better on cognitive measures early in the life span and then show greater recruitment of brain regions during performance to compensate for declines in older age caused by preclinical AD.