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Apolipoprotein E genotype and schizophrenia: further negative evidence
Author(s) -
Saacute;iz P. A.,
Morales B.,
GPortilla M. P.,
Alvarez V.,
Coto E.,
Fernaacute;ndez J. M.,
Bousontilde;o M.,
Bobes J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2002.10488.x
Subject(s) - apolipoprotein e , genotype , allele , odds ratio , medicine , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , endocrinology , confidence interval , population , allele frequency , biology , genetics , disease , psychiatry , gene , environmental health
Objective: To investigate the association between apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype and schizophrenia. Method: We genotyped 106 schizophrenic out‐patients [Diagnostic Statistic Manual IV (DSM‐IV) criteria] and 250 healthy volunteers (hospital staff and blood donors) from Asturias (Northern Spain). The ApoE genotypes (ϵ2, ϵ3, ϵ4 – alleles) were determined after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, followed by digestion with the restriction enzyme C fo I and electrophoresis on a 4% agarose gel. Results: No significant differences in ApoE‐allele frequencies between patients and controls was found, although an increased ϵ4‐frequency was recorded in patients compared with controls [9.0% vs. 6.2%, P =0.124; odds ratio (OR)=1.49; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.82–2.70]. ApoE‐genotype frequencies did not differ between both groups. The mean age of onset for schizophrenic patients that carried the ϵ4‐allele was not significantly different from that of patients without this allele. Conclusion: Variation in the ApoE gene was not associated with the development of schizophrenia in our population. ApoE‐genotypes did not modify the age of onset of the disease.