Association cortex hypoperfusion in mild dementia with Lewy bodies: a potential indicator of cholinergic dysfunction?

Brain Imaging Behav. 2011 Mar;5(1):25-35. doi: 10.1007/s11682-010-9108-x.

Abstract

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is often associated with occipital hypometabolism or hypoperfusion, as well as deficits in cholinergic neurotransmission. In this study, 11 mild DLB, 16 mild AD and 16 age-matched controls underwent arterial spin-labeled perfusion MRI (ASL-pMRI) and neuropsychological testing. Patterns of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cognitive performance were compared. In addition, combined ASL-pMRI and ChEI drug challenge (pharmacologic MRI) was tested as a probe of cholinergic function in 4 of the DLB participants. Frontal and parieto-occipital hypoperfusion was observed in both DLB and AD but was more pronounced in DLB. Following ChEI treatment, perfusion increased in temporal and parieto-occipital cortex, and cognitive performance improved on a verbal fluency task. If confirmed in a larger study, these results provide further evidence for brain cholinergic dysfunction in DLB pathophysiology, and use of pharmacologic MRI as an in vivo measure of cholinergic function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
  • Anatomy, Cross-Sectional
  • Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / pathology*
  • Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / blood supply*
  • Cerebral Cortex / pathology*
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / drug effects
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / physiology*
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Cognition / physiology
  • Education
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Lewy Body Disease / pathology*
  • Lewy Body Disease / physiopathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Mental Recall / physiology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Verbal Behavior

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors