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Plasma antioxidants and brain glucose metabolism in elderly subjects with cognitive complaints

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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The role of oxidative stress is increasingly recognized in cognitive disorders of the elderly, notably Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In these subjects brain18F-FDG PET is regarded as a reliable biomarker of neurodegeneration. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could play a role in impairing brain glucose utilization in elderly subjects with increasing severity of cognitive disturbance.

Methods

The study group comprised 85 subjects with cognitive disturbance of increasing degrees of severity including 23 subjects with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 34 patients with mild AD. In all subjects brain FDG PET was performed and plasma activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (eSOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Voxel-based analysis (SPM8) was used to compare FDG PET between groups and to evaluate correlations between plasma antioxidants and glucose metabolism in the whole group of subjects, correcting for age and Mini-Mental State Examination score.

Results

Brain glucose metabolism progressively decreased in the bilateral posterior temporoparietal and cingulate cortices across the three groups, from SCI to mild AD. eSOD activity was positively correlated with glucose metabolism in a large area of the left temporal lobe including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri and the fusiform gyrus.

Conclusion

These results suggest a role of oxidative stress in the impairment of glucose utilization in the left temporal lobe structures in elderly patients with cognitive abnormalities, including AD and conditions predisposing to AD. Further studies exploring the oxidative stress–energy metabolism axis are considered worthwhile in larger groups of these patients in order to identify pivotal pathophysiological mechanisms and innovative therapeutic opportunities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Neurology, Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), University of Genoa and IRCCS San Martino-IST, Largo P. Daneo, 3, 16132, Genoa, Italy

    Agnese Picco, Michela Ferrara, Dario Arnaldi, Andrea Brugnolo & Flavio Nobili

  2. Institute of Geriatrics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    M. Cristina Polidori

  3. Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

    Roberta Cecchetti, Mauro Baglioni, Patrizia Bastiani & Patrizia Mecocci

  4. Nuclear Medicine, Department of Health Science (DISSAL), University of Genoa and IRCCS San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy

    Silvia Morbelli & Irene Bossert

  5. Nuclear Medicine, S. M. della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy

    Giuliana Fiorucci & Massimo Eugenio Dottorini

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  1. Agnese Picco
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  2. M. Cristina Polidori
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  3. Michela Ferrara
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  4. Roberta Cecchetti
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  13. Flavio Nobili
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  14. Patrizia Mecocci
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Correspondence to Flavio Nobili.

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Picco, A., Polidori, M.C., Ferrara, M. et al. Plasma antioxidants and brain glucose metabolism in elderly subjects with cognitive complaints. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 41, 764–775 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-013-2638-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-013-2638-x

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