Effect of APOE and a polygenic risk score on incident dementia and cognitive decline in a healthy older population
Authors: Riaz Moeen , Huq Aamira , Ryan Joanne , Orchard Suzanne G , Tiller Jane , Lockery Jessica , Woods Robyn L , Wolfe Rory , Renton Alan E. , Goate Alison M. , Sebra Robert , Schadt Eric , Brodtmann Amy , Shah Raj C , Storey Elsdon , Murray Anne M , McNeil John J , Lacaze Paul 
Published: October 2020

Importance

Few studies have measured the effect of genetic factors on dementia and cognitive decline in a population of healthy older individuals followed prospectively.

Objective

To examine the effect of Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes and a polygenic risk score (PRS) on incident dementia and cognitive decline in a longitudinal cohort of healthy older people.

Design, Setting and Participants

Post-hoc genetic analysis of a randomized clinical trial population - the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial. At enrollment, participants had no history of diagnosed dementia, atherothrombotic cardiovascular disease, or permanent physical disability and were without cognitive impairment.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Dementia (adjudicated trial endpoint) and cognitive decline, defined as a >1.5 standard deviation decline in test score for either global cognition, episodic memory, language/executive function or psychomotor speed, versus baseline scores. Cumulative incidence curves for all-cause dementia and cognitive decline were calculated with mortality as a competing event, stratified by APOE genotypes and tertiles of a PRS based on 23 common non-APOE variants.

Results

12,978 participants with European ancestry were included; 54.8% were female, and average age at baseline was 75 years (range 70 to 96). During a median 4.5 years of follow-up, 324 (2.5%) participants developed dementia and 503 (3.8%) died. Cumulative incidence of dementia to age 85 years was estimated to be 7.4% in all participants, 12.6% in APOE ε4 heterozygotes, 26.6% in ε4 homozygotes, 9.6% in the high PRS tertile, and 7.3% in the low PRS tertile. APOE ε4 heterozygosity/homozygosity was associated with a 2.5/6.3-fold increased risk of dementia and a 1.4/1.8-fold increased risk of cognitive decline, versus ε3/ε3 (P<0.001 for both). A high PRS (top tertile) was associated with a 1.4-fold increase risk of dementia, versus the low tertile (CI 1.04-1.76, P=0.02), but was not associated with cognitive decline risk (CI 0.96-1.22, P = 0.18).

Conclusions and Relevance

Incidence of dementia among healthy older individuals is low across all genotypes; however, APOE ε4 and high PRS increase relative risk. APOE ε4 is associated with cognitive decline, but PRS is not.

KEY POINTS

Question

How do genetic factors influence the risk of dementia and cognitive decline among healthy older individuals?

Findings

We studied cumulative incidence of dementia and cognitive decline in 12,978 healthy older individuals without cardiovascular disease or cognitive impairment at enrollment, stratified by APOE genotype and a polygenic risk score (PRS). APOE ε4 and PRS increased the relative risk of dementia, but cumulative incidence was low across all genotypes. APOE genotypes were associated with cognitive decline, but PRS was not.

Meaning

Incidence of dementia is low among healthy older individuals; however, genetic factors still increase relative risk.