title: Apathy as a feature of prodromal Alzheimer's disease: an FDG-PET ADNI study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study is to evaluate brain metabolism in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients with and without apathy (as determined by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire).
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline data from 65 MCI participants (11 with apathy and 54 without) from the Alzheimer's Disease (AD) Neuroimaging Initiative study were analyzed. All participants underwent a comprehensive cognitive and neuropsychiatric assessment, volumetric MRI and measures of cerebral glucose metabolism applying (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography at baseline. The presence of apathy at baseline was determined by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference between apathy and apathy-free MCI patients regarding cognitive assessment and neuropsychiatric measures when apathy-specific items were removed. Cerebrovascular disease load and cerebral atrophy were equivalent in both groups. Compared with the apathy-free MCI patients, MCI patients with apathy had significantly decreased metabolism in the posterior cingulate cortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of apathy in MCI patients is associated with AD-specific pattern of brain metabolic defect. These results could suggest that apathy belongs to the spectrum of prodromal AD symptoms.
authors: Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Research Centre, Gérontopôle, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France.
authors: Julien
authors: J
authors: Delrieu
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Desmidt
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Camus
authors: Sandrine
authors: S
authors: Sourdet
authors: Claire
authors: C
authors: Boutoleau-Bretonnière
authors: Emmanuel
authors: E
authors: Mullin
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Vellas
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Payoux
authors: Thibaud
authors: T
authors: Lebouvier
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D057565:Apathy / Q000502:physiology*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI); FDG-PET; apathy; biomarker; mild cognitive impairment