Alpha-amylase 1A copy number variants and the association with memory performance and Alzheimer's dementia

• Background Previous studies have shown that copy number variation (CNV) in the alpha (alpha)-amylase gene (AMY1A) is associated with body mass index, insulin resistance, and blood glucose levels, factors also shown to increase the risk of Alzheimer's dementia (AD). We have previously demonstrated the presence of alpha-amylase in healthy neuronal dendritic spines and a reduction of the same in AD patients. In the current study, we investigate the relationship between AMY1A copy number and AD, memory performance, and brain alpha-amylase activity. Methods and materials The association between AMY1A copy number and development of AD was analyzed in 5422 individuals (mean age at baseline 57.5 +/- 5.9, females 58.2%) from the Malmo diet and cancer study genotyped for AMY1A copy number, whereof 247 where diagnosed with AD during a mean follow-up of 20 years. Associations between AMY1A copy number and cognitive performance where analyzed in 791 individuals (mean age at baseline 54.7 +/- 6.3, females 63%), who performed Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Correlation analysis between alpha-amylase activity or alpha-amylase gene expression and AMY1A copy number in post-mortem hippocampal tissue from on demented controls (n = 8) and AD patients (n = 10) was also performed. Results Individuals with very high ( >= 10) AMY1A copy number had a significantly lower hazard ratio of AD (HR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.41-0.94) and performed significantly better on MoCA delayed word recall test, compared to the reference group with AMY1A copy number 6. A trend to lower hazard ratio of AD was also found among individuals with low AMY1A copy number (1-5) (HR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.53-1.02). A tendency towards a positive correlation between brain alpha-amylase activity and AMY1A copy number was found, and females showed higher brain alpha-amylase activity compared to males. Conclusion Our study suggests that the degree of alpha-amylase activity in the brain is affected by AMY1A copy number and gender, in addition to AD pathology. The study further suggests that very high AMY1A copy number is associated with a decreased hazard ratio of AD and we speculate that this effect is mediated via a beneficial impact of AMY1A copy number on episodic memory performance.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Neurovetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Neurosciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Geriatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Geriatrics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Alzheimer’

s disease

Memory

Salivary alpha amylases

DNA copy

number variation

Montreal cognitive assessment

Gender

Human brain

dependent synaptic plasticity

gene

obesity

amy1

risk

diet

Neurosciences & Neurology

Alzheimer’s disease

DNA copy number variation

Alzheimer’ s disease; Memory; Salivary alpha amylases; DNA copy number variation; Montreal cognitive assessment; Gender; Human brain

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)