Decreased carbon-11-flumazenil binding in early Alzheimer’s disease

• DOI: 10.1093/brain/aws210
• Publication Date: 2012-09-08T07:04:46Z
• Authors: Belen Pascual; Elena Prieto; Javier Arbizu; Josep M. Marti-Cl...; Ivan Peñuelas; Gemma Quincoces; Rosina Zarauza; Sabina Pappatà; Joseph C. Masdeu
• Keywords: Flumazenil; Pittsburgh compound B; Posterior cingulate; Statistical parametric mapping; Retrosplenial cortex; Temporal cortex

Neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease, a better correlate of cognitive impairment than amyloid deposition, is currently gauged by the degree regional atrophy. However, functional markers, such as GABA(A) receptor density, marker neuronal integrity, could be more sensitive. In post-mortem hippocampus, messenger RNA expression reduced even mild impairment. We measured whole-brain binding potential vivo using [(11)C]-flumazenil positron emission tomography and compared with metabolic volumetric measurements. For this purpose, we studied 12 subjects, six patients early disease healthy controls, [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose tomography, well high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Data were evaluated both voxel-based parametric methods volume interest methods. found that analysis, was decreased infero-medial temporal cortex, retrosplenial cortex posterior perisylvian regions. Inter-group differences reached corrected significance when an arterial input function. Metabolism measurements obtained imaging showed changes regions affected but, unlike probably due to sample size, findings failed reach any region brain. With hippocampi cingulate gyrus binding. addition, hippocampal correlated memory performance. Remarkably, precisely showing greatest studies disease. From these data, conclude useful