EXPLORING APOE GENOTYPES AND CLINICAL CORRELATES OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IN ALGERIAN PATIENTS

Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents a growing public health challenge in Algeria, yet its clinical and genetic characteristics remain profoundly understudied in this population. This study aims to characterize the clinical phenotype and genetic background, specifically regarding the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene, of Algerian AD patients to address this critical knowledge gap. The clinical investigation involved 167 patients aged 50–80 years from Blida University Hospital, who underwent comprehensive demographic, neuropsychological, and neurological assessments, including neuroimaging. The cohort demonstrated a female predominance (56.4%), with the highest disease prevalence observed in the 70-80 year age group. A strong association was found between AD and low educational attainment, which was more pronounced in women. Hypertension (53%) and diabetes (13%) were identified as frequent comorbidities. Neuroimaging analyses revealed distinct sex-specific patterns of cerebral atrophy, with bilateral hippocampal atrophy predominating in women and cortico-subcortical atrophy being more common in men. In parallel, a genetic component of the study is underway, involving APOE genotyping for 30 AD patients and 30 age-matched cognitively normal controls using quantitative PCR and sequencing techniques established locally. The primary genetic objectives are to determine allele and genotype frequencies (ε2, ε3, ε4) and investigate their correlation with clinical variables. While genotyping analysis is ongoing, the successful implementation of these molecular protocols marks a significant milestone, enabling advanced genetic research to be conducted in Algeria.