Hippocampal hypometabolism predicts cognitive decline from normal aging.
| Publication Type | Academic Article |
| Authors | Mosconi L, De Santi S, Li J, Tsui W, Li Y, Boppana M, Laska E, Rusinek H, de Leon M |
| Journal | Neurobiol Aging |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pagination | 676-92 |
| Date Published | 01/11/2007 |
| ISSN | 1558-1497 |
| Keywords | Aging, Cognition Disorders, Dementia, Fluorodeoxyglucose F18, Glucose, Glucose Metabolism Disorders, Hippocampus |
| Abstract | OBJECTIVE: This longitudinal study used FDG-PET imaging to predict and monitor cognitive decline from normal aging. METHODS: Seventy-seven 50-80-year-old normal (NL) elderly received longitudinal clinical examinations over 6-14 years (561 person-years, mean per person 7.2 years). All subjects had a baseline FDG-PET scan and 55 subjects received follow-up PET exams. Glucose metabolic rates (MRglc) in the hippocampus and cortical regions were examined as predictors and correlates of clinical decline. RESULTS: Eleven NL subjects developed dementia, including six with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and 19 declined to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), on average 8 years after the baseline exam. The baseline hippocampal MRglc predicted decline from NL to AD (81% accuracy), including two post-mortem confirmed cases, from NL to other dementias (77% accuracy), and from NL to MCI (71% accuracy). Greater rates of hippocampal and cortical MRglc reductions were found in the declining as compared to the non-declining NL. CONCLUSIONS: Hippocampal MRglc reductions using FDG-PET during normal aging predict cognitive decline years in advance of the clinical diagnosis. Future studies are needed to increase preclinical specificity in differentiating dementing disorders. |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.12.008 |
| PubMed ID | 17222480 |
| PubMed Central ID | PMC2430185 |