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Alzheimer disease genetic risk factor APOE e4 and cognitive abilities in 111,739 UK Biobank participants
Lyall DM, Ward J, Ritchie SJ, Davies G, Cullen B, Celis C, Bailey ME, Anderson J et al.. Age and ageing, 2016-04-21
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background the apolipoprotein (APOE) e4 locus is a genetic risk factor for dementia. Carriers of the e4 allele may be more vulnerable to conditions that are independent risk factors for cognitive decline, such as cardiometabolic diseases. Objective we tested whether any association with APOE e4 status on cognitive ability was larger in older ages or in those with cardiometabolic diseases.
Key findings
- Carriers of the e4 allele may be more vulnerable to conditions that are independent risk factors for cognitive decline, such as cardiometabolic diseases.
- Objective we tested whether any association with APOE e4 status on cognitive ability was larger in older ages or in those with cardiometabolic diseases.
- Subjects UK Biobank includes over 500,000 middle- and older aged adults who have undergone detailed medical and cognitive phenotypic assessment.
- Around 150,000 currently have genetic data.
Why it matters
Using data from over 500,000 middle- and older-aged UK Biobank adults, this study tested whether the APOE e4 genetic risk factor for dementia had a larger association with cognitive ability at older ages or in people with cardiometabolic diseases. Carriers of the e4 allele may be more vulnerable to conditions that are independent risk factors for cognitive decline.
Study details
- Participants111,739
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Age and ageing) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Age and Ageing: journal h-index 231 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 111,739 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 71 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.9 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 30 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Jill P. Pell: h-index 101 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Glasgow: institution h-index 1,600 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27103599) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Lyall, D. M., Ward, J., Ritchie, S. J., Davies, G., Cullen, B., Celis, C., et al. (2016). Alzheimer disease genetic risk factor APOE e4 and cognitive abilities in 111,739 UK Biobank participants. Age and ageing. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw068
Vancouver
Lyall DM, Ward J, Ritchie SJ, Davies G, Cullen B, Celis C, et al. Alzheimer disease genetic risk factor APOE e4 and cognitive abilities in 111,739 UK Biobank participants. Age and ageing. 2016. doi:10.1093/ageing/afw068. PMID: 27103599.
BibTeX
@article{lyall2016-27103599,
author = {Lyall, D. M. and Ward, J. and Ritchie, S. J. and Davies, G. and Cullen, B. and Celis, C. and Bailey, M. E. and Anderson, J. and others},
title = {{Alzheimer disease genetic risk factor APOE e4 and cognitive abilities in 111,739 UK Biobank participants}},
journal = {Age and ageing},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1093/ageing/afw068},
pmid = {27103599},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw068}
}
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