Is ApoE4 Neanderthal?

[mike]

I agree with your assessment of early man's diet. I also think it would have included long periods of famine.

We've spoken about the correlation between E4 and Neanderthal before. You may want to do a search.

Julie, did a search, and while "neanderthal" is mentioned numerous times, only a few times was ApoE4 also mentioned. Some did wonder if ApoE4 was from Neanderthal, but none had any evidence one way or the other that I could see...

[mike]

If ApoE4 is Neanderthal, then it seems like it would be useful to know what they ate. From the research, it looks like they ate pretty much whatever they could. In Northern climates, it was more meat, and in the south, more vegetables. And insects even. I'm not seeing anything about tubers though. It appears that they ate a VERY low carb diet for the most part, with seasonal fruit.

[Julie G]

If ApoE4 is Neanderthal, then it seems like it would be useful to know what they ate. From the research, it looks like they ate pretty much whatever they could. In Northern climates, it was more meat, and in the south, more vegetables. And insects even. I'm not seeing anything about tubers though. It appears that they ate a VERY low carb diet for the most part, with seasonal fruit.

Agree, with the ability to withstand periods with no food. There would have certainly been food scarcity in the North between winter hunts and perhaps droughts in the South. I keep harping on this because periods of famine would have naturally lead early man to be in ketosis during those periods. The overabundance of food, "endless summer" in Western civilization is particularly detrimental to our genotype.

Our earlier ApoE4/Neanderthal conversations may have been on Facebook or even in 23andMe, our incubator. You might want to start a survey and ask folks to report their E4 status and Neanderthal percentage. I can think of some researchers who would be delighted with the information.

[mike]

You might want to start a survey and ask folks to report their E4 status and Neanderthal percentage. I can think of some researchers who would be delighted with the information.

Is there a special way to do this, or should I just start a new post and keep track of replies? What thread would I put this into - this same one? Is this not something that 23andMe could do - they have the data...

It also turns out that the heaviest % of 4/4 is in northern Europe.

[Julie G]

Is there a special way to do this, or should I just start a new post and keep track of replies? What thread would I put this into - this same one? Is this not something that 23andMe could do - they have the data...

Just start a new topic. You'll see the "Poll Creation" option beneath the text box- left side, far right.

[Rainy]

Fascinating question! I admit I thought very simply about this issue when I got my 23andme results. I was teased by my husband about my own fairly high Neanderthal percentage that is greater than of 60% of 23andme folk. Since the Neander Valley appears to be in what is now Germany, I thought it made sense that this was a logical result of my German ancestry. My closest 23andme cousins who have high Neanderthal percentages are also of German ancestry! (Note that I have not asked these cousins about their Apoe E4 status. I am tempted but hesitate to be that personal.)

[mike]

Just start a new topic. You'll see the "Poll Creation" option beneath the text box- left side, far right.

Can I ask only one question? I could not find anywhere to add a new question... To be useful, seems you would need both ApoE genotype and % Neanderthal. It also seems like it would be interesting to know where someone's ancestry lies (i.e. Northern Europe).

I could create a poll for each question. but that means you lose connectivity between questions, unless a person's username is also included.

[Julie G]

I could create a poll for each question. but that means you lose connectivity between questions, unless a person's username is also included.

Feel free to use and import Survey Monkey. Others have. It’s much more versatile.

[SunnySky]

Here's a comparison:

DH is 4/4 with 288 Neanderthal variants; which is more than 69% of 23&me customers.

DD is APOE4 (heterozygous) with 303 Neanderthal variants; which is more than 87% of 23&me customers.

I do not have APOE4 and have 296 Neanderthal variants; which is more than 80% of 23&me customers.

[mike]

Here's a comparison:
DH is 4/4 with 288 Neanderthal variants; which is more than 69% of 23&me customers.
DD is APOE4 (heterozygous) with 303 Neanderthal variants; which is more than 87% of 23&me customers.
I do not have APOE4 and have 296 Neanderthal variants; which is more than 80% of 23&me customers.

This is just probability - if ApoE happens to be one of the Neanderthal variants (can't this be checked?), then the more Neanderthal variants a person has, the more likely they get ApoE4, but it is not a guarantee. When I get the chance, I'll put a survey together, and then see if there is a correlation between the two in this group. There does seem to be a percentage of Neanderthal in this group, at least of those that mention it (self selection?).