Apolipoprotein E and neuropsychiatric symptoms in neurocognitive disorders

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) such as depression, anxiety, apathy, psychosis or behavioral disorders are among the most common concomitant symptoms of neurocognitive disorders and have just as strong an impact on prognosis as cognitive deficits. The genetic variant of apolipoprotein E (APOE) is the most important risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, but also influences the occurrence of NPS in various neurodegenerative diseases. A recent review summarizes the proven associations between APOE genotypes and neuropsychiatric symptoms and discusses the clinical relevance.