Effect of High-Salt Diet on Memory and Behavior in Mice Expressing Human Apolipoprotein Epsilon-4 (APOE4) Allele

= 18 in each group) were fed a 4% NaCl (high-salt) or a 0.1% NaCl (low-salt) diet for 4 weeks. Metabolic cage studies were used to assess 24 h measurements of food and water intake, and urine output. Spatial memory and learning were determined using the Barnes maze test. Both the APOE3 and APOE4 mice on a low-salt diet had significantly decreased urinary volume, and female mice had lower body weight. The APOE4 mice on the low-salt diet (0.1%) performed significantly better on the 72 h probe test as compared to the APOE4 mice on 4% salt diet. The results demonstrate an association among dietary salt, memory, and APOE4 genotype.