Apolipoprotein E and prospective memory in normally aging adults

The ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) is an established risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, despite uncertainty as to its effect on cognitive function in normal aging. Some evidence suggests poor episodic memory and executive functioning in ε4 allele carriers. Prospective memory has been overlooked in investigations of the relationship between APOE and cognition. The authors used a laboratory paradigm to examine the relationship between prospective memory and APOE status in healthy elderly adults, and they varied the association (high vs. low) between a target word and a response word. The authors found a significant deficit in prospective memory for ε4 allele carriers but no effect of association in either group. The results suggest the deficit was due to failure of the prospective component of the task.