Impaired mesial frontal and putamen activation in Parkinson's disease: A positron emission tomography study

• DOI: 10.1002/ana.410320206
• Publication Date: 2005-01-01T12:15:45Z
• Authors: E. D. Playford; I. H. Jenkins; R. E. Passingham; J. Nutt; R. S. J. Frackowiak; D. J. Brooks
• Keywords: Supplementary motor area; Premotor cortex; Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Putamen; Posterior cingulate

Selection of movement in normal subjects has been shown to involve the premotor, supplementary motor, anterior cingulate, posterior parietal, and dorsolateral prefrontal areas. In Parkinson's disease (PD), primary pathological change is degeneration nigrostriatal dopaminergic projections, this associated with difficulty initiating actions. We wished investigate effect nigral abnormality PD on cortical activation during movement. Using C15O2 positron emission tomography (PET), we studied regional cerebral blood flow 6 patients control while they performed motor tasks. Subjects were scanned at rest, repeatedly moving a joystick forward, freely choosing which four possible directions move joystick. Significant increases determined covariance analysis. subjects, compared rest condition, free-choice task activated left sensorimotor cortex, premotor putamen, right cortex area, cingulate parietal association areas bilaterally. PD, for task, there was significant cortices but impaired contralateral cortex. Impaired medial frontal may account difficulties have movements.