Original Research Article

A SPECT Study of Apathy in Alzheimer's Disease
Krista L. Lanctôt^{a, b, d, e, h}, Shehnaz Moosa^{b, d}, Nathan Herrmann^{a, e, h}, Farrell S. Leibovitch^{f, g}, Lana Rothenburg^{a, d}, Adolfo Cotter^{f, g}, Sandra E. Black^{c, f-h}

Departments of
^aPsychiatry and
^bPharmacology and
^cMedicine (Neurology) , University of Toronto,
^dNeuropharmacology Research Program, Departments of
^ePsychiatry,
^fMedicine (Neurology),
^gMedical Imaging and
^hNeuroscience Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont., Canada

Address of Corresponding Author

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2007;24:65-72 (DOI: 10.1159/000103633)

  Key Words

• Alzheimer's disease
• Apathy
• Single-photon emission tomography

  Abstract

Background/Aims: To assess the association between regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and apathy in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Methods: SPECT and MRI scans were obtained from 51 nondepressed outpatients meeting criteria for probable AD (age 77.6 ± 6.6 years; MMSE 22.3 ± 5.1; 23 apathetic, 28 nonapathetic) and 23 healthy elderly (75.6 ± 3.8 years) controls. The following regions of interest (ROIs) were compared between apathetic and nonapathetic AD patients and then referenced against aged controls: anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortex, middle medial temporal cortex, hippocampus, medial superior temporal cortex, thalamus/hypothalamus and pons. Results: Apathetic and nonapathetic patients had significant differences in rCBF. Relative to nonapathetic AD patients, apathetic AD patients had lower perfusion in 2 ROIs (right orbitofrontal cortex and left anterior cingulate) and higher perfusion in 5 ROIs (right and left hippocampi, left medial superior temporal gyrus, and right and left middle medial temporal cortex). Comparison of rCBF in these 7 ROIs to healthy elderly controls confirmed hypoperfusion in the left anterior cingulate and right orbitofrontal cortex and suggested a relative sparing of perfusion among apathetic AD patients in the remaining 5 ROIs. Conclusions: In this group of nondepressed patients with AD, apathetic subjects displayed significant perfusion differences compared to nonapathetic subjects.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Krista L. Lanctôt
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room FG05
Toronto, Ont. M4N 3M5 (Canada)
Tel. +1 416 480 6133, Fax +1 416 480 6022
E-Mail krista.lanctot@sunnybrook.ca

  Article Information

Accepted: April 16, 2007
Published online: June 11, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 64