What changes in hippocampal activity have been observed in young APOE4 carriers?

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Alzheimer disease Histopathologic image of neuritic plaques in the cerebral cortex in a patient with Alzheimer disease of presenile onset (onset before age 65).

Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have observed that individuals between the ages of 20 and 35 who carry the APOE4 variant frequently exhibit increased activity in the hippocampus.1

Scientists hypothesize that this early-life hippocampal hyperactivity may lead to later dysfunction in the region, which in turn contributes to the development of Alzheimer disease. Consequently, fMRI imaging in young APOE4 carriers is being investigated as a potential tool for identifying individuals at the greatest risk for the disease.1