Citation

Merritt VC, Lapira KM, Clark AL, Sorg SF, Werhane ML, Jak AJ, Bondi MW, Schiehser DM, Delano-Wood L. Arch. Clin. Neuropsychol. 2018; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VASDHS; San Diego, CA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1093/arclin/acy082

PMID

30521018

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the influence of the APOE-ε4 allele on post-concussive symptoms in military Veterans with a remote history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

METHOD: Participants (N = 77) were administered neuropsychiatric measures, on average, approximately 5 years following their most recent mTBI and provided a DNA sample for APOE genotyping. Veterans were divided into two groups based on their ε4 status (n = 14 ε4+, n = 63 ε4-). The Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) was the primary outcome measure, from which a total score was derived, as well as three symptom clusters (somatic, cognitive, and affective).

RESULTS: ANCOVAs showed a significant main effect of ε4 genotype on the NSI total score and somatic symptom cluster after adjusting for posttraumatic stress symptoms and mTBI history (p =.019-.028, ηp2 =.064-.073), such that ε4+ Veterans endorsed significantly greater symptoms than ε4- Veterans.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that genetic risk may help to explain the poorer long-term outcomes often observed in this population.

Language: en