Functional Neuroanatomical Correlates of The Frontal Assessment Battery Performance in Alzheimer Disease: A FDG-PET Study.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to elucidate the functional neuroanatomical correlates of Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) performances by applying [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) to a large population of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).


METHODS
The FAB was administered to 177 patients with AD, and regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCMglc) was measured by FDG-PET scan. Correlations between FAB scores and rCMglc were explored using both region-of-interest-based (ROI-based) and voxel-based approaches.


RESULTS
The ROI-based analysis showed that FAB scores correlated with the rCMglc of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices. Voxel-based approach revealed significant positive correlations between FAB scores and rCMglc which were in various cortical regions including the temporal and parietal cortices as well as frontal regions, independent of age, gender, and education. After controlling the effect of global disease severity with Mini-Mental State Examination score, significant positive correlation was found only in the bilateral prefrontal regions.


CONCLUSIONS
Although FAB scores are influenced by temporoparietal dysfunction due to the overall progression of AD, it likely reflects prefrontal dysfunction specifically regardless of global cognitive state or disease severity in patients with AD.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jun Ho
JH
Lee
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Min Soo
MS
Byun
Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Bo Kyung
BK
Sohn
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Young Min
YM
Choe
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Dahyun
D
Yi
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Ji Young
JY
Han
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Hyo Jung
HJ
Choi
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Hyewon
H
Baek
Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jong Inn
JI
Woo
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea selfpsy@snu.ac.kr.
Dong Young
DY
Lee
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose
Alzheimer disease; FDG-PET; Frontal Assessment Battery