Decreased Cognition in Children with Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease

Background: The epsilon 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE-epsilon 4) and a family history (+FH) of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are both risk factors for the development of AD. Although studies to identify a preclinical phase of AD have led to evidence of APOE-epsilon 4-and +FH-related differences in brain and cognitive functioning in healthy adults, the relative influence of these factors in children is unknown. Methods: To investigate this issue, school-age children (n = 109) received standardized achievement tests, the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (Copy Condition; RCFT-CC), assessment of family medical history, and buccal swab testing to determine their APOE genotype. Results: Analyses revealed that, relative to children without these risk factors, children who possess both an APOE-epsilon 4 allele and a +FH of AD and/or significant memory problems (MID) obtained lower scores on nearly every cognitive test administered. Conclusions: Findings suggest that when both AD risk factors are present, cognition maybe adversely affected as early as childhood. Thus, risk factors for a disorder of pathological aging (i.e., AD) may have implications for the etiology of certain types of learning difficulties in children.