Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography in Dementia: Relationship of Perfusion to Cognitive Deficits

Peter Engel, Jeffrey L. Cummings, Javier Villanueva-Meyer, Ismael Mena

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sixteen patients with dementia (nine with Alzheimer's disease and seven with multi-infarct dementia) were studied with xenon-133 and hexamethyl-propyleneamine-oxime single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Quantification of cerebral blood flow was determined in 16 hemispheric regions of interest. Neuropsychological deficits were assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Neurobehavior Cognitive Status Examination. Alzheimer's disease patients had symmetric reduction of parietal lobe perfusion; multi-infarct dementia patients had multifocal perfusion deficits. Correlations were demonstrated between cerebral blood flow in the posterior brain regions and performance on tests of language, memory, attention, figure copying, judgment, and similarities. Alzheimer's disease patients exhibited more language impairment than multi-infarct dementia patients. SPECT promises to provide diagnostic information and data relevant to interpretation of neuropsychological deficits.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)144-151
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
Volume6
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1993
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography in Dementia: Relationship of Perfusion to Cognitive Deficits'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this