Braga_2015_Am.J.Alzheimers.Dis.Other.Demen_30_139

The loss of cholinergic transmission is considered to be an important cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Treatment with acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) shows benefits; however, great heterogeneity has been observed in patient responses. We evaluated apolipoprotein E (APOE) and alpha7 nicotinic receptor (CHRNA7) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and associated these SNPs with pharmacological responses to ChEIs in a Brazilian population with AD. We studied 177 outpatients using ChEIs, and they were classified as responders and nonresponders according to variation in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) status. The analysis of APOE genotypes showed that patients with the 4 allele had a worse response than those without the 4 allele. We observed an association between the CHRNA7 T allele and a better response to treatment with ChEIs in patients with mild AD (MMSE >/= 20). The SNP rs6494223 of CHRNA7 as well as APOE4 could be useful for understanding the response to ChEI treatment in patients with AD.