Insular hypoperfusion correlates with the severity of delusions in individuals with Alzheimer's disease.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to identify the brain regions associated with the severity of delusions in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) using single-photon emission computed tomography.


METHODS
Thirty-five AD patients participated in this study. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify a linear correlation between the delusion subscale score of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in AD patients with delusions (n = 14). In addition, rCBF in patients with (n = 14) and without delusions (n = 21) was compared using a 2-sample t test.


RESULTS
The delusion subscale score of the NPI was negatively correlated with rCBF in the right anterior insula (uncorrected p < 0.01 at the voxel level and corrected p < 0.05 at the cluster level). Compared to patients without delusions, however, rCBF in the right anterior insula was not significantly decreased in patients with delusions.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that right anterior insular dysfunction may exacerbate delusions, although it is not responsible for the onset of delusions.
Matsuoka
Teruyuki
T
Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. tmms2004 @ koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Narumoto
Jin
J
Shibata
Keisuke
K
Okamura
Aiko
A
Nakamura
Kaeko
K
Okuyama
Chio
C
Nishimura
Tsunehiko
T
Fukui
Kenji
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003702:Delusions / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon