The APP A673T frequency differs between Nordic countries

A coding gene variant A673T (rs63750847) in the APP gene has recently been recognized as a protective variant of late-onset Alzheimer's Disease in a large Icelandic population and has been observed recurrently in populations from the Nordic countries.

However, because of the extreme rarity of A673T in non-Nordic populations, the association with Alzheimer's disease has not yet been formally replicated. Because the variant has not been reported among the Danes, we aimed to study its frequency among healthy middle-age twins and oldest-old singletons and explore the possible effects on longevity and cognitive abilities.

Surprisingly, only 1 of 3487 unrelated Danes carried the A673T variant, (0.014% [95% CI 0.000–0.080]), which was significantly lower than in the other Nordic countries averaging to 0.43% (95% CI 0.40–0.46). In conclusion, the A673T variant is rarer in Danes than other Nordic countries, thus precluding assessment of association with longevity or cognitive functioning.

Article

The APP A673T frequency differs between Nordic countries.
Mengel-From J, Jeune B, Pantti T, McGue M, Christensen K, Christiansen L.
Neurobiology of Aging 2015 Oct;36(10):2909.e1-4. Pubmed abstract