title: Cholinergic dysfunction after traumatic brain injury: preliminary findings from a PET study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is evidence that the cholinergic system is frequently involved in the cognitive consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI). We studied whether the brain cholinergic function is altered after TBI in vivo using PET.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cholinergic function was assessed with [methyl-(11)C]N-methylpiperidyl-4-acetate, which reflects the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, in 17 subjects more than 1 year after a TBI and in 12 healthy controls. All subjects had been without any centrally acting drugs for at least 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AChE activity was significantly lower in subjects with TBI compared to controls in several areas of the neocortex (-5.9% to -10.8%, p=0.053 to 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with chronic cognitive symptoms after TBI show widely lowered AChE activity across the neocortex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Turku and Turku University Central Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Östberg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Virta
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Rinne
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oikonen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Luoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Någren
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arponen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tenovuo
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011869:Radioligand Assay / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; C100518:N-methyl-4-piperidyl acetate; D010880:Piperidines; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase