RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TC-99M-HMPAO CERASPECT AND QUANTITATIVE EEG OBSERVATIONS IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Nineteen patients affected with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) unde rwent quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and semiquantitative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurement by Tc-99m-HMPAO (hexam ethyl-propylene amine-oxine) SPECT by a high resolution device (CERASP ECT). Perfusional and EEG data were correlated with one another and wi th the severity of disease, as expressed by the mini mental state exam ination (MMSE), in a posterior temporoparietal region of interest (ROI ) in either of the hemispheres. Moreover, qEEG was also correlated wit h rCBF in a thalamic and a hippocampal ROI. Both qEEG and rCBF data we re significantly correlated to MMSE. especially in the left hemisphere . The qEEG and rCBF results were correlated in the temporoparietal ROI , mainly in the left one, whereas no correlation was found between tha lamic ROI and qEEG and only the right hippocampal ROI was slightly rel ated to qEEG. Both techniques are confirmed to be reliable tools in as sessing brain failure in AD, and qEEG may be conveniently employed whe re SPECT is unavailable. Staging a given patient in respect with the c ourse of the disease by means of a multiple neurophysiological approac h may overcome the limitations of individual techniques, which appears to be particularly relevant for the evaluation of the impact of event ual future effective treatment.