Abstract
BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic cerebral lesions on MRI such as white matter lesions (WML), lacunes and microbleeds are commonly seen in older people. We examined the role of a series of candidate genes involved in blood pressure regulation and amyloid metabolism.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was embedded in a family-based cohort sampled from a Dutch genetically isolated population. We selected individuals between 55 and 75 years of age with hypertension (N=129). Volumes of WML and presence of lacunes and microbleeds were assessed with MRI. We studied three genes involved in blood pressure regulation (angiotensin, angiotensin II type 1 receptor, α-adducin) and two genes involved in the amyloid pathway (apolipoprotein E (APOE) and sortilin-related receptor gene (SORL1)).
RESULTS: All participants had WML (median volume, 3.1 ml; interquartile range, 1.5-6.5 ml); lacunar infarcts were present in 15.5% and microbleeds in 23.3%. Homozygosity for the APOE ε4 allele was associated with lacunes (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.2 to 19.3). Individuals carrying two copies of the variant allele of four single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) located at the 3'-end of SORL1 (rs1699102, rs3824968, rs2282649, rs1010159) had significantly more often microbleeds (highest OR, 6.87; 95% CI, 1.78 to 26.44).
CONCLUSION: The association of SORL1 with microbleeds suggests that the amyloid cascade is involved in the aetiology of microbleeds in populations with hypertension.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 41-4 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry |
Volume | 82 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Aged
- Amyloid/genetics
- Apolipoproteins E/genetics
- Blood Pressure/physiology
- Calmodulin-Binding Proteins/genetics
- Cerebral Hemorrhage/etiology
- Cerebrovascular Disorders/epidemiology
- Cognition Disorders/etiology
- Cohort Studies
- Female
- Genotype
- Humans
- Hypertension/complications
- LDL-Receptor Related Proteins/genetics
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Male
- Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics
- Middle Aged
- Netherlands/epidemiology
- Neuropsychological Tests
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics
- Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1/genetics