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

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.