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Positron emission tomographic scan investigations of Huntington's disease: Cerebral metabolic correlates of cognitive function
Author(s) -
Berent Stanley,
Giordani Bruno,
Lehtinen Shirley,
Markel Dorene,
Penney John B.,
Buchtel H. A.,
StarostaRubinstein Simon,
Hichwa Richard,
Young Anne B.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410230603
Subject(s) - positron emission tomography , huntington's disease , brain function , cognition , medicine , neuroscience , computed tomographic , nuclear medicine , psychology , disease , radiology , pathology , computed tomography
Fifteen drug‐free patients with early to mid‐stage Huntington's disease (HD) were evaluated with positron emission tomographic (PET) scans of 18 F‐2‐fluro‐2‐deoxy‐ D ‐glucose uptake and quantitative measures of neurological function, learning, memory, and general intelligence. In comparison with a group of normal volunteers, the HD patients showed lower metabolism in both caudate ( p < 0.001) and putamen ( p < 0.001) on PET scans. A significant and positive relationship was found between neuropsychological measures of verbal learning and memory and caudate metabolism in the patient group but not in the normal group. Visual‐spatial learning did not reflect a similar pattern, but performance intelligence quotient was positively related to both caudate and putamen metabolism in the HD group. Vocabulary level was unrelated to either brain structure. Discussion focuses on these and other observed brain‐behaviour relationships and on the implications of these findings for general behaviors such as those involved in coping and adaptation.