Positron emission tomography study of the human hypothalamus during normal ageing and in ischemic and degenerative disorders.
Regional blood flow and oxygen metabolism were determined by positron emission tomography, using the steady state technique with 15O, in the hypothalamus and in the whole brain of fifty two normal persons and patients suffering from cerebral ischemia and degenerative dementia. During normal ageing regional blood flow and oxygen consumption appeared to increase slightly in the hypothalamus and to decrease in the whole brain in 24 persons. In the young age group the hypothalamus was more protected against ischemia than in the elderly group. In the aged group with cerebral ischemia and degenerative dementia regional blood flow and oxygen consumption were decreased in the hypothalamus to the same extent as in the whole brain.
De Reuck
J
J
Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
Decoo
D
D
Van Aken
J
J
Strijckmans
K
K
Lemahieu
I
I
Vermeulen
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003704:Dementia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed