title: Brain alterations and mini-mental state examination in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy: voxel-based investigations using f-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare differences in morphological and functional changes in brain regions in individual patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and correlate their Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score with anatomy and function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen PSP patients and 20 age-matched healthy volunteers underwent FDG-PET and 3-dimensional MRI. Gray matter, white matter and metabolic activity were compared between patients and normal controls. In addition, possible correlations between the MMSE score and brain function/anatomy were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PSP group had reduced cerebral glucose metabolism, and lower gray and white matter volumes in the frontal lobes and midbrain compared with normal controls. In PSP subjects, the metabolic changes observed in the PET scans were greater than the loss in gray and white matter observed in the MRI scans. The MMSE scores were positively correlated with volume and FDG uptake in the frontal lobe.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDG-PET is a more effective tool in the diagnosis of PSP than MRI. Atrophy and hypometabolism in the frontal lobe are as important as in the basal midbrain for differentiating PSP patients who primarily exhibit cognitive dysfunction from normal controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hyogo Prefectural Rehabilitation Hospital at Nishi-Harima, Tatsuno.
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kakigi
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Etsuro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Takamichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami