APOE genotype is associated with left-handedness and visuospatial skills in children

Bloss, Cinnamon S.; Delis, Dean C.; Salmon, David P.; Bondi, Mark W.

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2008.05.021

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Volume 31, Issue 5 , Pages 787-795, May 2010

APOE genotype is associated with left-handedness and visuospatial skills in children

Cinnamon S. Bloss
- SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92120-4913, USA
- Corresponding author. Present address: Scripps Genomic Medicine and Scripps Translational Science Institute, Scripps Health and The Scripps Research Institute, 3344 North Torrey Pines Court, Suite 300, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. Tel.: +1 858 554 5724; fax: +1 858 546 9284.
Dean C. Delis
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, Psychology Service (116B), 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
David P. Salmon
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, UCSD Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, 8950 Villa La Jolla Drive, Suite C129, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
Mark W. Bondi
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, Psychology Service (116B), 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA 92161, USA

Received 26 January 2008; received in revised form 12 May 2008; accepted 25 May 2008. published online 08 July 2008.

Abstract

We sought to investigate whether apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype is associated with unique profiles of cognitive functioning during early-life. School-aged children (N=147) received standardized achievement tests, the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (Copy Condition; RCFT-CC), assessment of hand dominance for writing, and buccal swab testing to determine their APOE genotype. Significant differences were found on the RCFT-CC, with ɛ2-positive children performing worse on this measure relative to both ɛ3/3 (p=0.032) and ɛ4-positive children (p=0.018). Further, a higher prevalence of left-hand dominance for writing was observed among ɛ2-positive children (29.2%) relative to ɛ3/3 (8.9%) and ɛ4-positive children (6.1%; p=0.012), although this finding did not account for the observed group differences on the RCFT-CC. Findings raise the possibility that in childhood, the ɛ2 allele may be associated with: (a) decreased functioning in certain cognitive domains; (b) factors associated with atypical hemispheric dominance. Results may be consistent with the theory of antagonistic pleiotropy, which suggests that APOE may have different protective effects at different developmental stages.