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Regional patterns of cerebral glucose metabolism in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, 3 and 6

A voxel-based FDG-positron emission tomography analysis

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the regional patterns of cerebral metabolic deficits by voxel-based FDGPET analysis in patients with distinct spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) genotypes, including SCA type 2 (SCA2), SCA3, and SCA6. Nine patients with SCA2, 12 with SCA3, seven with SCA6, and 23 healthy control subjects were recruited. The clinical severity of the patients’ cerebellar ataxia was evaluated according to the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale. The brain glucose metabolism was evaluated with 2- [fluorine 18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography. Group data were analyzed and compared by voxelbased analysis. In SCA2, FDG utilization was significantly reduced in the cerebellum, pons, parahippocampal gyrus and frontal cortex. In SCA3, FDG metabolism in the cerebellum, parahippocampal gyrus of the limbic system, and lentiform nucleus was decreased. In SCA6, FDG metabolism was diminished in the cerebellum and the frontal and prefrontal cortices. On group comparisons, while all SCAs have impaired cerebellar functions, the cerebellar FDG metabolism was most severely compromised in SCA2. Instead, the FDG metabolism in the lentiform nucleus and medulla was characteristically worst in SCA3. There was no brainstem involvement in SCA6.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital , Taiwan

    P.-S. Wang MD & B.-W. Soong MD, PhD

  2. Dept. of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan

    P.-S. Wang MD & B.-W. Soong MD, PhD

  3. Dept. of Neurology, Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital, Taiwan

    P.-S. Wang MD

  4. Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, National PET/Cyclotron Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan

    R.-S. Liu MD & B.-H. Yang MD

  5. The Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201 Sec.2, Shih-pai Road (Shih-pai), Taipei, Taiwan, 11217

    B.-W. Soong MD, PhD

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  1. P.-S. Wang MD
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  2. R.-S. Liu MD
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  3. B.-H. Yang MD
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Correspondence to B.-W. Soong MD, PhD.

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Wang, PS., Liu, RS., Yang, BH. et al. Regional patterns of cerebral glucose metabolism in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, 3 and 6. J Neurol 254, 838–845 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0383-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0383-9

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