Role of Apolipoprotein E in Anxiety

[摘要] Anxiety is most common among Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients with an ageat onset under age 65. Apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) is a risk factor fordeveloping AD at an earlier age and might contribute to this effect. Inmice, apoE plays a role in the regulation of anxiety, which might involvehistamine receptor-mediated signaling and steroidogenesis in the adrenalgland. In addition, human apoE isoforms have differential effects on anxietyin adult mice lacking apoE and probable AD patients. Compared to wild-typemice, mice lacking apoE and apoE4 mice showed pathological alterations inthe central nucleus of the amygdala, which is involved in regulation ofanxiety. ApoE4, but not mice lacking apoE, or apoE3 mice showed impaireddexamethasone suppression of plasma corticosterone. Understanding how apoEmodulates measures of anxiety might help the developments of therapeutictargets to reduce or even prevent measures of anxiety in health and indementing illnesses.

[学科分类] 精神健康和精神病学