Non-replication of an association of Apolipoprotein E2 with sinistrality

Abstract

A recent report found that left-handed adolescents were more than three times more likely to have an Apolipoprotein (APOE) ϵ2 allele. This study was unable to replicate this association in young adults (N=166). A meta-analysis of nine other datasets (N=360 to 7559, Power > 0.999) including that of National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center also failed to find an over-representation of ϵ2 among left-handers indicating that this earlier outcome was most likely a statistical artefact.

Keywords:

• APOE
• Handedness
• Right

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Sarah E. Monsell MS and George Thomas MS for the NACC analyses (cooperative agreement U01 AG016976); Eveleen Darby MS for data analysis; Matthew B. Herson, Donna M. Nolan, Hannah M. Gandsey, and Alan B. Curtiss for assistance with sample collection/pre-processing; David P. Craig PhD for assistance with data storage; Clive Woffendin PhD for ApoE genotyping; all members of the ALSPAC group, Dan Mungas PhD, Rachelle S. Doody PhD and Ian Deary PhD for generously providing their datasets; and Jessica Hunter PhD for feedback on an earlier version of this manuscript. This research was supported by the N.L. Tartar Trust, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC-2010-05957), the UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Coordinating Center (P30AG10129), Swedish Research Council (345-2003-3883, 315-2004-6977), the National Institute of Drug Abuse (T32DA07262, L30 DA027582), and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (T32ES007060). This publication was made possible in part with support from the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI), grant number UL1 RR024140 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy E. Taylor

Designated authors contributed equally