title: Content of delusional thoughts in Alzheimer's disease and assessment of content-specific brain dysfunctions with BEHAVE-AD-FW and SPECT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A consensus on the brain dysfunction(s) underlying the delusions of Alzheimer's Dementia (AD) remains to be achieved. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that content-based categorization of delusional ideas manifests as dysfunction of category-specific brain regions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine consecutive first-visit AD outpatients underwent Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Mini-Mental State Examination, and Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Frequency-Weighted Severity scale (BEHAVE-AD-FW) to assess cerebral blood flow (CBF), cognitive function, and delusion, respectively. SPECT images were analyzed by SPM5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CBF decreased at the temporal poles and right inferior temporal gyrus in "delusion of theft," at the temporal poles in "suspiciousness/paranoia," at the right parahippocampal gyrus and insula in "abandonment," and at the right amygdala in "Residence is not home."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings offer a perspective on the discrete categories of the pathological thoughts of AD patients that have previously been lumped together as "delusions." Dysfunction of the temporal poles may be associated with a socioemotional deterioration that may include pathological suspiciousness. Delusion of theft may be a manifestation of socioemotional deterioration and poor insight. Emotional factors may be essential for delusions of abandonment and "not home."
authors: Department of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 980-8575 Sendai, Japan.
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Nakatsuka
authors: Kenichi
authors: K
authors: Meguro
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Tsuboi
authors: Kei
authors: K
authors: Nakamura
authors: Kyoko
authors: K
authors: Akanuma
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003702:Delusions / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime