Open AccessLower cerebral oxygen utilization is associated with Alzheimer’s disease-related neurodegeneration and poorer cognitive performance among apolipoprotein E ε4 carriers
Author(s) -
W Hudson Robb,
Omair A. Khan,
Humza A. Ahmed,
Judy Li,
Elizabeth E. Moore,
Francis E. Cambronero,
Kimberly R. Pechman,
Dandan Liu,
Katherine A. Gifford,
Bennett A. Landman,
Manus J. Donahue,
Timothy J. Hohman,
Angela L. Jefferson
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.167
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1559-7016
pISSN - 0271-678X
DOI - 10.1177/0271678x211056393
Subject(s) - apolipoprotein e , dementia , neurodegeneration , episodic memory , psychology , alzheimer's disease , medicine , neuroscience , effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance , cognitive decline , cognition , disease
Oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2 ) are markers of cerebral oxygen homeostasis and metabolism that may offer insights into abnormal changes in brain aging. The present study cross-sectionally related OEF and CMRO 2 to cognitive performance and structural neuroimaging variables among older adults (n = 246, 74 ± 7 years, 37% female) and tested whether apolipoprotein E ( APOE )-ε4 status modified these associations. Main effects of OEF and CMRO 2 were null (p-values >0.06), and OEF interactions with APOE -ε4 status on cognitive and structural imaging outcomes were null (p-values >0.06). However, CMRO 2 interacted with APOE- ε4 status on language (p = 0.002), executive function (p = 0.03), visuospatial (p = 0.005), and episodic memory performances (p = 0.03), and on hippocampal (p = 0.006) and inferior lateral ventricle volumes (p = 0.02). In stratified analyses, lower oxygen metabolism related to worse language (p = 0.02) and episodic memory performance (p = 0.03) among APOE- ε4 carriers only. Associations between CMRO 2 and cognitive performance were primarily driven by APOE- ε4 carriers with existing cognitive impairment. Congruence across language and episodic memory results as well as hippocampal and inferior lateral ventricle volume findings suggest that APOE -ε4 may interact with cerebral oxygen metabolism in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegeneration.