Abstract
The apolipoprotein E4 (E4) allele is present worldwide, despite its associations with higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity, accelerated cognitive decline during aging, and Alzheimer's disease (AD).The E4 allele is especially prevalent in some tropical regions with a high parasite burden. Equatorial populations also face a potential dual burden of high E4 prevalence combined with parasitic infections that can also reduce cognitive performance. We examined the interactions of E4, parasite burden, and cognitive performance in a traditional, nonindustrialized population of Amazonian forager-horticulturalists (N = 372) to test whether E4 protects against cognitive decline in environments with a heavy pathogen burden. Contrary to observations in industrial populations, older adult E4 carriers with high parasite burdens either maintained or showed slight improvements in cognitive performance, whereas non-E4 carriers with a high parasite burden showed reduced cognitive performance. Being an E4 carrier is the strongest risk factor to date ofADand cognitive decline in industrial populations; it is associatedwith greater cognitive performance in individuals facing a high parasite and pathogen load, suggesting advantages to the E4 allele under certain environmental conditions. The current mismatch between postindustrial hygienic lifestyles and active parasite-rich environs may be critical for understanding genetic risk for cognitive aging.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1508-1515 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | FASEB Journal |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 1 2017 |
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Keywords
- Alzheimer's disease
- Antagonistic pleiotropy
- Cognitive decline
- Mismatch
- Tsimane
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biotechnology
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Cite this
Apolipoprotein E4 is associated with improved cognitive function in Amazonian forager-horticulturalists with a high parasite burden. / Trumble, Benjamin; Stieglitz, Jonathan; Blackwell, Aaron D.; Allayee, Hooman; Beheim, Bret; Finch, Caleb E.; Gurven, Michael; Kaplan, Hillard.
In: FASEB Journal, Vol. 31, No. 4, 01.04.2017, p. 1508-1515.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Apolipoprotein E4 is associated with improved cognitive function in Amazonian forager-horticulturalists with a high parasite burden
AU - Trumble, Benjamin
AU - Stieglitz, Jonathan
AU - Blackwell, Aaron D.
AU - Allayee, Hooman
AU - Beheim, Bret
AU - Finch, Caleb E.
AU - Gurven, Michael
AU - Kaplan, Hillard
PY - 2017/4/1
Y1 - 2017/4/1
N2 - The apolipoprotein E4 (E4) allele is present worldwide, despite its associations with higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity, accelerated cognitive decline during aging, and Alzheimer's disease (AD).The E4 allele is especially prevalent in some tropical regions with a high parasite burden. Equatorial populations also face a potential dual burden of high E4 prevalence combined with parasitic infections that can also reduce cognitive performance. We examined the interactions of E4, parasite burden, and cognitive performance in a traditional, nonindustrialized population of Amazonian forager-horticulturalists (N = 372) to test whether E4 protects against cognitive decline in environments with a heavy pathogen burden. Contrary to observations in industrial populations, older adult E4 carriers with high parasite burdens either maintained or showed slight improvements in cognitive performance, whereas non-E4 carriers with a high parasite burden showed reduced cognitive performance. Being an E4 carrier is the strongest risk factor to date ofADand cognitive decline in industrial populations; it is associatedwith greater cognitive performance in individuals facing a high parasite and pathogen load, suggesting advantages to the E4 allele under certain environmental conditions. The current mismatch between postindustrial hygienic lifestyles and active parasite-rich environs may be critical for understanding genetic risk for cognitive aging.
AB - The apolipoprotein E4 (E4) allele is present worldwide, despite its associations with higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity, accelerated cognitive decline during aging, and Alzheimer's disease (AD).The E4 allele is especially prevalent in some tropical regions with a high parasite burden. Equatorial populations also face a potential dual burden of high E4 prevalence combined with parasitic infections that can also reduce cognitive performance. We examined the interactions of E4, parasite burden, and cognitive performance in a traditional, nonindustrialized population of Amazonian forager-horticulturalists (N = 372) to test whether E4 protects against cognitive decline in environments with a heavy pathogen burden. Contrary to observations in industrial populations, older adult E4 carriers with high parasite burdens either maintained or showed slight improvements in cognitive performance, whereas non-E4 carriers with a high parasite burden showed reduced cognitive performance. Being an E4 carrier is the strongest risk factor to date ofADand cognitive decline in industrial populations; it is associatedwith greater cognitive performance in individuals facing a high parasite and pathogen load, suggesting advantages to the E4 allele under certain environmental conditions. The current mismatch between postindustrial hygienic lifestyles and active parasite-rich environs may be critical for understanding genetic risk for cognitive aging.
KW - Alzheimer's disease
KW - Antagonistic pleiotropy
KW - Cognitive decline
KW - Mismatch
KW - Tsimane
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85017305937&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85017305937&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1096/fj.201601084R
DO - 10.1096/fj.201601084R
M3 - Article
C2 - 28031319
AN - SCOPUS:85017305937
VL - 31
SP - 1508
EP - 1515
JO - The FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
JF - The FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
SN - 0892-6638
IS - 4
ER -