Region-specific decline of cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with frontotemporal dementia: a prospective 18F-FDG-PET study.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of glucose uptake and the changes over time of metabolic deficits in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

METHODS

10 patients who had received the clinical diagnosis of FTD underwent positron emission tomography scanning at the time of their first examination (baseline) and at follow-up (after 17.1 +/- 6.0 months). For statistical analysis, we used the SPM 99 software. First, we compared the data of the patients at baseline with an age-matched healthy control group. Second, we compared glucose uptake at follow-up with baseline measurements.

RESULTS

Compared with normal controls, FTD patients showed significant metabolic deficits primarily in frontal cortical areas, but also in the caudate nuclei and the thalami. At follow-up, a significant progression of metabolic deficit was exclusively observed in the orbitofrontal parts of the frontal lobe and in the subcortical structures.

DISCUSSION

These findings demonstrate that the clinical progression in patients with FTD is accompanied by a region-specific decline in cerebral glucose metabolism.