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Association between APOE e4 and white matter hyperintensity volume, but not total brain volume or white matter integrity
Lyall DM, Cox SR, Lyall LM, Celis-Morales C, Cullen B, Mackay DF, Ward J, Strawbridge RJ et al.. Brain imaging and behavior, 2020-10-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Apolipoprotein (APOE) e4 genotype is an accepted risk factor for accelerated cognitive aging and dementia, though its neurostructural substrates are unclear. The deleterious effects of this genotype on brain structure may increase in magnitude into older age. This study aimed to investigate in UK Biobank the association between APOE e4 allele presence vs. absence and brain imaging variables that have been associated with worse cognitive abilities; and whether this association varies by cross-sectional age.
Key findings
- The deleterious effects of this genotype on brain structure may increase in magnitude into older age.
- This study aimed to investigate in UK Biobank the association between APOE e4 allele presence vs. absence and brain imaging variables that have been associated with worse cognitive abilities; and whether this association varies by cross-sectional age.
- We used brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and genetic data from a general-population cohort: the UK Biobank (N = 8395 after exclusions).
- We adjusted for the covariates of age in years, sex, Townsend social deprivation scores, smoking history and cardiometabolic diseases.
Why it matters
This cross-sectional UK Biobank study examined whether carrying the APOE e4 allele is associated with brain imaging measures such as white matter hyperintensity volume. It reports associations with brain structure only, so it does not show that treating or preventing anything changes Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants8,395
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 58/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Brain imaging and behavior) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Brain Imaging and Behavior: journal h-index 89 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 8,395 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 97 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.1 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 33 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 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30903549) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 58 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00069-9
- PubMed: 30903549
- Original source →
- Free full text: Brain Imaging and Behavior →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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., Cox, SR., Lyall, L. M., Celis-Morales, C., Cullen, B., Mackay, D. F., et al. (2020). Association between APOE e4 and white matter hyperintensity volume, but not total brain volume or white matter integrity. Brain imaging and behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-019-00069-9
Vancouver
Lyall DM, Cox SR, Lyall LM, Celis-Morales C, Cullen B, Mackay DF, et al. Association between APOE e4 and white matter hyperintensity volume, but not total brain volume or white matter integrity. Brain imaging and behavior. 2020. doi:10.1007/s11682-019-00069-9. PMID: 30903549.
BibTeX
@article{lyall2020-30903549,
author = {Lyall, D. M. and Cox, SR. and Lyall, L. M. and Celis-Morales, C. and Cullen, B. and Mackay, D. F. and Ward, J. and Strawbridge, R. J. and others},
title = {{Association between APOE e4 and white matter hyperintensity volume, but not total brain volume or white matter integrity}},
journal = {Brain imaging and behavior},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1007/s11682-019-00069-9},
pmid = {30903549},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-019-00069-9}
}
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