Region-specific decline of cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with frontotemporal dementia: a prospective 18F-FDG-PET study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of glucose uptake and the changes over time of metabolic deficits in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).


METHODS
10 patients who had received the clinical diagnosis of FTD underwent positron emission tomography scanning at the time of their first examination (baseline) and at follow-up (after 17.1 +/- 6.0 months). For statistical analysis, we used the SPM 99 software. First, we compared the data of the patients at baseline with an age-matched healthy control group. Second, we compared glucose uptake at follow-up with baseline measurements.


RESULTS
Compared with normal controls, FTD patients showed significant metabolic deficits primarily in frontal cortical areas, but also in the caudate nuclei and the thalami. At follow-up, a significant progression of metabolic deficit was exclusively observed in the orbitofrontal parts of the frontal lobe and in the subcortical structures.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate that the clinical progression in patients with FTD is accompanied by a region-specific decline in cerebral glucose metabolism.
Grimmer
T
T
Department of Psychiatry, Technical University Munich, Germany. t.grimmer@lrz.tum.de
Diehl
J
J
Drzezga
A
A
Förstl
H
H
Kurz
A
A
D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose