Positron emission tomography and computed tomography assessments of the aging human brain.

Publication Type Academic Article
Authors de Leon M, George A, Ferris S, Christman D, Fowler J, Gentes C, Brodie J, Reisberg B, Wolf A
Journal J Comput Assist Tomogr
Volume 8
Issue 1
Pagination 88-94
Date Published 02/01/1984
ISSN 0363-8715
Keywords Aging, Brain, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Abstract The relationship between alterations in brain structure and brain function was studied in vivo in both young and elderly human subjects. Computed tomography revealed significant age-related ventricular and cortical sulcal dilatation. The cortical changes were most closely related to age. Positron emission tomography failed to show regional changes in brain glucose metabolic rate. The results suggest that the normal aging brain undergoes structural atrophic changes without incurring regional metabolic changes. Examination of the correlations between the structural and the metabolic measures revealed no significant relationships. These data are discussed with respect to the significant structure-function relationships that have been reported in Alzheimer disease.
DOI 10.1097/00004728-198402000-00017
PubMed ID 6606657
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