Hypoperfusion of the visual pathway in parkinsonian patients with visual hallucinations.
Little is known about the developing mechanisms of visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease. This study aimed to investigate perfusion changes in parkinsonian patients with visual hallucinations using n-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine ([123I]IMP) single photon emission computed tomography imaging. A total of 70 consecutive patients, including 31 patients with visual hallucinations, and 39 patients without hallucinations, participated in this study. Patients with severe cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination score < 20), nonvisual hallucinations, or confusion were excluded. We compared brain perfusion changes between the two groups. We found that hallucinatory patients had significant perfusion reductions in the bilateral inferior parietal lobule, inferior temporal gyrus, precuneus gyrus, and occipital cortex compared to nonhallucinatory patients. These results suggested that hypoperfusion of the visual pathway was closely related to visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease.
Matsui
Hideaki
H
Department of Neurology, Sumitomo Hospital, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan. matsui-hideaki@sumitomo-hp.or.jp
Nishinaka
Kazuto
K
Oda
Masaya
M
Hara
Narihiro
N
Komatsu
Kenichi
K
Kubori
Tamotsu
T
Udaka
Fukashi
F
D000368:Aged; D001931:Brain Mapping; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D020367:Iofetamine; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D020367:Iofetamine