Paper Title
Apolipoprotien E Polymorphism In Iranian Patients With Alzheimer�s Disease

Abstract
Alzheimer�s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, is a complex heterogeneous disorder characterized by progressive memory and cognitive impairment. Interactions between genetic and environmental factors are involved in the etiology of AD. There are many researches in different populations investigating the frequency of Apolipoprotien E ɛ4 (APOE ɛ4) as the most important genetic risk factor associated with sporadic AD. However, there is no report in this regard in Iranian populations. The main objective of this study was to determine the frequencies of APOE alleles (ɛ2, ɛ3 and ɛ4) in patients with sporadic AD in the Fars province, the South West of Iran. In this research, 50 AD patients and 50 healthy controls were genotyped by multiplex tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system (multiplex T-ARMS) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a single reaction tube. There was higher frequency of ɛ4 allele in AD patients compared to healthy controls. The association of polymorphism in other relevant genes and environmental factors with APOE ɛ4 in the development of AD is under investigation. AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and early diagnosis of AD is crucial. Simultaneous investigation of environmental and genetic factors might be beneficial in AD prognosis