Vascular dementia: A cognitive SPET-CBF activation study

Objective: We investigated the pattern of regional cerebral blood flow (rCB F) responses to a cognitive task in vascular patients with and without deme ntia. Method: We studied 8 controls and 18 vascular patients by quantitativ e rCBF assessed by Xe-133 inhalation method and SPET, both at rest and duri ng a cognitive figure recognition task. Eight were mildly demented and 10 w ere nondemented vascular patients. According to their task performance, 12 patients were classified as 'good performers' (GPs) and 6 patients as 'poor performers' (PPs), Results: Vascular patients activated a larger number of brain areas than controls. No differences were observed between controls, nondemented and mildly demented patients in the pattern of rCBF activation. GPs presented a lower mean percentage of rCBF increase than either control s or PPs, GPs had lower values than PPs in the left temporal, parietal and occipital regions and in the right posterior cingulate and occipital region s. Conclusions: These data suggest that vascular patients may functionally compensate for vascular damage by activating more brain areas than controls do and, consequently, by increasing the rate of regional activation. Copyr ight (C) 2001 S. Karger AG. Basel.