Apo E influences declarative and procedural learning in age-associated memory impairment

AGE-ASSOCIATED memory impairment (AAMI) is a clinical entity which was originally described to define memory problems linked to normal aging. Apolipo-protein E and ACE genes have both been associated with cognitive impairment in aging and dementia. The purpose of this study was to investigate memory and executive functions in AAMI according to the genetic background. We found that subjects carrying the Apo E ε4 allele exhibit lower memory performance on tests of both declarative and procedural memory. We did not find differences on frontal lobe tests. These findings give further support to the hypothesis concerning a genetic susceptibility for cognitive impairment in aging.