title: Effect of age on regional cerebral blood flow patterns in Alzheimer's disease patients.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of age on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) patterns in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed in 79 patients with AD, including 31 younger and 48 older patients divided according to age at examination (<70 and > or = 70 years), and the SPECT data were analyzed using three-dimensional stereotactic surface projection. Although no significant differences in severity and duration of disease between the two groups were found, there were some differences in rCBF patterns. Patients with younger AD had a more severe decrease of rCBF in the parietotemporal and posterior cingulate cortex, while patients with older AD had a more severe decrease of rCBF in the medial temporal region and medial frontal lobe. This observer-independent analysis of SPECT data provides an objective assessment of cortical rCBF abnormalities in patients with AD and is useful in demonstrating the differences in rCBF patterns between younger and older patients with AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishihsinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-0023, Japan. hanyu@mb.kcom.ne.jp
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hanyu
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimuzu
authors.forename: Yuriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takasaki
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: Kimihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed