TC99M-HMPAO SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY IN LATE-LIFE DEPRESSION- A PILOT-STUDY OF REGIONAL CEREBRAL BLOOD-FLOW AT REST AND DURING A VERBAL FLUENCY TASK
Mp. Philpot et al., TC99M-HMPAO SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY IN LATE-LIFE DEPRESSION- A PILOT-STUDY OF REGIONAL CEREBRAL BLOOD-FLOW AT REST AND DURING A VERBAL FLUENCY TASK, Journal of affective disorders, 28(4), 1993, pp. 233-240
Relative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured at rest and
during a verbal fluency task in ten elderly patients with major depres
sive disorder and nine controls. At rest, depressed patients showed si
gnificant reductions in the cortico-cerebellar ratios of tracer uptake
in the right and left parietal, left temporal and left occipital regi
ons. During the task relative rCBF increased in patients such that the
se differences disappeared. Relative rCBF did not correlate with sever
ity of depressed mood or endogenous features but did correlate positiv
ely with severity of psychotic symptoms. Frontal relative rCBF correla
ted negatively with somatic symptoms and anxiety.