Objective: The association between the APOE epsilon4 allele and depression was investigated in a retrospective study of 323 AD patients.
Methods: Patients were divided into demographically comparable groups based on the presence or absence of depression.
Results: Results showed that the frequency of APOE epsilon4 allele was significantly higher in the depressed vs non-depressed AD patients (72% and 58%, respectively), and an interaction revealed that women possessing the APOE epsilon4 allele were almost four times more likely to be depressed than those without the epsilon4 allele.
Conclusion: Results are consistent with recent suggestions that the APOE epsilon4 genotype may be over-represented among depressed women with AD and highlight the need for additional research investigating the links between APOE genotype, mood, and gender.