title: Regional specific changes of cerebral metabolism in systemic lupus erythematosus identified by positron emission tomography.
abstract: In order to test the hypothesis whether the pathogenesis of cerebral systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may include an immune-mediated deficit in specific vulnerable brain regions, the regional cerebral metabolism in 9 patients with diffuse as well as focal cerebral symptoms was compared with that of 10 age-matched control subjects. The cerebral distribution of 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) uptake was measured by means of positron emission tomography. Subsequently performed statistical parametric mapping showed (i) a relative increase in metabolism in the striatum and (ii) regional decreases in the premotor cortex as a common feature in the patient group. Region of interest measurements of absolute FDG uptake confirmed these findings. The increased striatal activity may support the presence of a direct immune response against neuronal tissue in SLE, similar to the cross-reaction against inhibitory components in striatal tissue provoked by streptococcal antigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pruim
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Sinnige
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Beintema
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Spronk
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bootsma
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Kallenberg
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: van Zomeren
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haaxma-Reiche
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18