The relationship of ApoE 4 genotype to neuropsychiatric symptoms in mild
cognitive impairment 
   Lead Investigator:    Arjun Masurkar
   Institution      :    NYU School of Medicine
   E-Mail           :    arjun.masurkar@nyumc.org
   Proposal ID      :    1248



   Proposal Description:
   It has become increasingly recognized that neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) can occur in Alzheimer's disease (AD) even at early prodromal stages, and patients with these symptoms are though to decline faster. However, the pathophysiology is unknown. The ApoE4 genotype is the strongest genetic risk factor for AD, but its role in NPS is unclear. Elucidating which symptoms show strongest links to ApoE4, versus ApoE3 and ApoE2, would be a critical step in understanding the pathophysiology of NPS in AD MCI. We will answer this with the following aims:    1. At the MCI stage, determine the correlation between ApoE genotype and NPS      Hypothesis: ApoE4 associates with affective symptoms like anxiety and             depression, not psychosis.                                                        2. With progression of MCI, determine the roles of ApoE4 versus NPS.              Hypothesis: The impact of NPS on progression is mediated through ApoE4.