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Cerebral Vascular Transit Time in Alzheimer's Disease and Korsakoff's Psychosis and its Relation to Cognitive Function

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

R. Hunter ,
M. V. Merrick ,
C. Ferrington ,
A. Notghi ,
R. McLuskie ,
J. E. Christie  and
G. M. Goodwin
R. Hunter*
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Edinburgh
M. V. Merrick
Affiliation:
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
C. Ferrington
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Physics, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
A. Notghi
Affiliation:
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
R. McLuskie
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Edinburgh
J. E. Christie
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Edinburgh
G. M. Goodwin
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Edinburgh
*
∗MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh EH10 5HF
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Abstract

The cerebral vascular transit time of 17 patients with presenile dementia of the Alzheimer type (ATD), nine abstinent patients with alcoholic Korsakoff's psychosis (KOR), and ten age-matched controls was determined by the bolus intravenous injection of pertechnetate. A gamma camera was used to estimate the median transit time (MTT) of the radioactive bolus in a planar (non-tomographic) projection normal to the vertex. The spread of the bolus arriving at the aortic arch was measured independently by a single external detector over the chest, and correction made for the transit time of this input function in calculating the net MTT for the head. Both ATD and KOR groups showed lengthened net MTTs, compatible with reduced cerebral blood flow, and which were correlated with reduced cognitive function. It is concluded that the method employed gives a simple, inexpensive estimate of function-related blood flow to the brain in presenile dementia.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 154 , Issue 6 , June 1989 , pp. 790 - 796
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1989 

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