Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Brain Topogr. 2012 Oct;25(4):431-42. doi: 10.1007/s10548-012-0229-y. Epub 2012 May 5.
The epsilon4 allele of the Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene has been linked to various neurological conditions and the aging process in the elderly. However, evidence has suggested that the influence of ApoE epsilon4 may commence in early life. This study examined the modulatory effects of ApoE epsilon4 on regional neural activity as well as inter-regional neural interactions in a young population aged 19-21. Blood samples and resting state eyes-closed EEG signals were collected from 265 healthy females, and stratified into two groups: epsilon4 carriers and non-carriers. The values of the log-transformed mean power of 18 electrodes and the mutual information of 20 channel pairs across delta, theta, alpha and beta frequencies were analyzed. Our connectivity analysis was based on information theory, which combined Morlet wavelet transform and mutual information calculation. Between-group statistics were performed by independent t-test. We notice a consistent trend across the brain, in which ApoE epsilon4 carriers possess lower regional power at the alpha band. The epsilon4 allele is also associated with lower regional power at the theta frequency in the left frontal and posterior brain regions. Functional connectivity analyses reveal a right-lateralized network that differentiates epsilon4 carriers and non-carriers, with lower connectivity strengths for the former. Our tonic EEG analyses complement those of previous reports in that the ApoE epsilon4 allele has a negative impact on regional neural synchronization and inter-regional neural interaction.
载脂蛋白 E（ApoE）基因的 epsilon4 等位基因与各种神经疾病和老年人的衰老过程有关。然而，有证据表明，ApoE epsilon4 的影响可能始于生命早期。本研究在 19-21 岁的年轻人群中，检查了 ApoE epsilon4 对区域神经活动以及区域间神经相互作用的调节作用。从 265 名健康女性中采集了血样和静息状态闭眼 EEG 信号，并将其分为两组：epsilon4 携带者和非携带者。分析了 18 个电极的对数转换平均功率值和 20 个通道对在 delta、theta、alpha 和 beta 频率下的互信息。我们的连接分析基于信息理论，该理论结合了 Morlet 小波变换和互信息计算。通过独立 t 检验进行组间统计。我们注意到整个大脑中存在一致的趋势，即 ApoE epsilon4 携带者在 alpha 波段的区域功率较低。epsilon4 等位基因还与左额和后脑部区域的 theta 频率的区域功率降低有关。功能连接分析揭示了一个区分 epsilon4 携带者和非携带者的右侧网络，前者的连接强度较低。我们的 tonic EEG 分析补充了之前的报告，表明 ApoE epsilon4 等位基因对区域神经同步和区域间神经相互作用有负面影响。
