Relationship between the APOE e4 allele, cognitive performance, and physical activity in cognitively healthy older adults

• Grant number: 24/22088-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Lucas Pelegrini Nogueira de Carvalho
• Grantee: Rebeca Carvalho Bom
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/01863-9 - Biology and function of ADAM10 isoforms for differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease by electrochemical sensors, AP.TEM

Abstract

Population aging results in some normative genetic-biological changes that impact cognition, with advanced age being a risk factor for the development of neurocognitive disorders (NCD). Furthermore, the presence of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele is one of the main genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. Nonetheless, non-pharmacological interventions, such as physical activity, have shown positive effects on the cognitive performance of older adults. Thus, this study aims to investigate whether physical activity is associated with the cognitive performance of cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults who are carriers and non-carriers of the APOE e4 allele. This is a cross-sectional, observational, quantitative, and analytical study involving 150 CU older adults, allocated into two groups: carriers (APOE e4+) and non-carriers (APOE e4-) of the APOE e4 allele. A sociodemographic questionnaire, a cognitive assessment, and an instrument to evaluate the level of physical activity will be used, and blood samples will be collected for subsequent genotyping analysis. Descriptive analyses, group comparisons, correlation, and ANCOVA analyses will be conducted with a significance level of 0.05. Investigating the potential effect of physical activity on the relationship between cognitive performance and APOE e4 carrier status in the Brazilian context will contribute not only to advancing scientific evidence in this field but also to providing relevant information for future prevention and treatment strategies. (AU)