Relationship between cognitive function and regional cerebral blood flow in different types of dementia.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed relationships between cognitive impairment and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the different types of dementia.


METHODS
Subjects, who included 27 with Alzheimer's disease (AD), seven with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), six with vascular dementia (VaD), and 12 normal controls, were evaluated using the Mini-mental State (MMS), Kana-hiroi Test, an auditory verbal learning test (AVLT), a word fluency test (WFT) and Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM). The rCBF was measured using a three-dimensional stereotaxic ROI template method (3DSRT).


RESULTS
In all dementia types, left superior frontal hypoperfusion was demonstrated. In AD and VaD significant CBF reduction also was seen in both angular, temporal, occipital, and precentral, both hippocampi, thalami, and pericallosal regions, and the left lenticular nucleus. MMS, Kana-hiroi Test, and AVLT scores correlated with CBF in all regions. WFT scores were correlated highly with CBF in the left side in frontal, temporal, and angular regions and right and left lenticular nuclei, thalami, and pericallosal regions. RCPM scores correlated with CBF in posterior regions.


CONCLUSIONS
Close coupling was evident between reduced rCBF and cognitive dysfunction in patients with dementia. Use of neuropsychologic tests and rCBF determinations in combination should enhance diagnostic accuracy.
Osawa
Aiko
A
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan.
Maeshima
Shinichiro
S
Shimamoto
Yukiko
Y
Maeshima
Etsuko
E
Sekiguchi
Eri
E
Kakishita
Koji
K
Ozaki
Fuminori
F
Moriwaki
Hiroshi
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests