RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Prefrontal cortical blood flow and cognitive function in Huntington's disease. JF Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry JO J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 94 OP 104 DO 10.1136/jnnp.51.1.94 VO 51 IS 1 A1 D R Weinberger A1 K F Berman A1 M Iadarola A1 N Driesen A1 R F Zec YR 1988 UL http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/51/1/94.abstract AB To examine the relationship between cortical physiology and dementia in Huntington's disease, rCBF during three different behavioural conditions, one of which emphasised prefrontal cognition, was determined by xenon-133 inhalation in 14 patients with Huntington's disease and in matched controls. Cortical rCBF was not reduced in Huntington's disease patients even while they manifested overt prefrontal-type cognitive deficits. Caudate atrophy on CT and rCBF were significantly correlated, but only during the prefrontal behaviour where the correlation was positive. These results suggest a qualification of the subcortical dementia concept as applied to Huntington's disease and implicate an interaction between pathology that is subcortical and cognitive function that is cortical.