Effect of ApoE and tau on age of onset of progressive supranuclear palsy and multiple system atrophy

In addition to allelic association between genetic polymorphisms and diseases, modulation of age of onset is a well recognised effect of disease susceptibility genes. The ApoE is an element of4 allele is associated with an earlier age of onset of sporadic and familial Alzheimer's disease. It has been suggested that the tau genotype influences the age of onset of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a form of atypical parkinsonism caused by tau neurofibrillary tangle deposition. We have therefore analysed the relationship between tau and ApoE genotypes and the age of onset of PSP and another form of atypical parkinsonism, multiple system atrophy (MSA). We have not found any effect of possession of the tau H1 haplotype or the ApoE is an element of4 allele on the age of onset of MSA or PSP. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.