Cognitive performance in older women relative to ApoE-epsilon4 genotype and aerobic fitness
Etnier JL, Caselli RJ, Reiman EM, Alexander GE, Sibley BA, Tessier D, McLemore EC.. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 2007-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Introduction Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype and aerobic fitness are each associated with cognitive performance in older adults. However, their potentially interactive effects on cognitive performance have not been examined. Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether ApoE genotype and aerobic fitness interact to uniquely impact memory performance and executive functioning. A secondary purpose was to examine the interactive effects on other measures of cognition to provide a more comprehensive assessment of cognitive abilities across a broad range of functions. Methods Community-dwelling, cognitively normal older women (N = 90) provided blood samples to allow for assessment of ApoE genotype, completed cognitive tests, and performed a maximal aerobic fitness test. Primary outcome variables were the auditory verbal learning test (AVLT), the complex figures test (CFT), and the Wisconsin card-sorting task (WCST). Secondary outcome variables were the block design test and the paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT). Results Regression analyses indicated that aerobic fitness was associated with significantly better performance on measures of the AVLT, the CFT, and the PASAT for the ApoE-epsilon4 homozygotes. Conclusion The preliminary findings from this study support the possibility that aerobic fitness is positively associated with the memory performance of those individuals at most genetic risk for Alzheimer disease.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Etnier, J. L., Caselli, R. J., Reiman, E. M., Alexander, G. E., Sibley, B. A., Tessier, D., et al. (2007). Cognitive performance in older women relative to ApoE-epsilon4 genotype and aerobic fitness. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000239399.85955.5e
Vancouver
Etnier JL, Caselli RJ, Reiman EM, Alexander GE, Sibley BA, Tessier D, et al. Cognitive performance in older women relative to ApoE-epsilon4 genotype and aerobic fitness. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. 2007. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000239399.85955.5e. PMID: 17218903.
BibTeX
@article{etnier2007-17218903,
author = {Etnier, J. L. and Caselli, R. J. and Reiman, E. M. and Alexander, G. E. and Sibley, B. A. and Tessier, D. and McLemore, E. C.},
title = {{Cognitive performance in older women relative to ApoE-epsilon4 genotype and aerobic fitness}},
journal = {Medicine and science in sports and exercise},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1249/01.mss.0000239399.85955.5e},
pmid = {17218903},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000239399.85955.5e}
}
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 names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Introduction Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype and aerobic fitness are each associated with cognitive performance in older adults.
- Results Regression analyses indicated that aerobic fitness was associated with significantly better performance on measures of the AVLT, the CFT, and the PASAT for the ApoE-epsilon4 homozygotes.
- Conclusion The preliminary findings from this study support the possibility that aerobic fitness is positively associated with the memory performance of those individuals at most genetic risk for Alzheimer disease.
Why it matters
In cognitively normal older women, higher aerobic fitness was linked to better performance on some memory and attention tests among APOE epsilon4 homozygotes. The authors call these preliminary findings, and the study does not show that exercise prevents Alzheimer disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Genetics →
Study details
- Participants90
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
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 (Medicine and science in sports and exercise) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: journal h-index 362 (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 | 2007 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 90 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 124 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.9 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.9× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Elisabeth C. McLemore: h-index 27 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 17218903) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1249/01.mss.0000239399.85955.5e
- PubMed: 17218903
- Original source →
- Free full text: libres.uncg.edu →
Full text: free to read — Unpaywall lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
Related
Studies in the library that share something with this one. The line above each title says what.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 16.
Later studies that cite this one
2 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Genetics
Also tagged “controlled”
1,116 studies in the library carry the topic tag “controlled”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,116 tagged studies.