Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

A single photon emission computerised tomography study of regional brain function in elderly patients with major depression and with Alzheimer-type dementia

Curran, S. M.; Murray, C. M.; Van Beck, M.; Dougall, N.; O'Carroll, R. E.; Austin, M. P.; Ebmeier, K. P.; Goodwin, G. M.

Authors

S. M. Curran

C. M. Murray

M. Van Beck

R. E. O'Carroll

M. P. Austin

K. P. Ebmeier

G. M. Goodwin



Abstract

The uptake, at rest, of 99mTc-exametazime into different brain regions was compared using SPECT for 20 elderly subjects with major depressive disorder, 20 with Alzheimer-type dementia, and 30 age-matched normal volunteers. Uptake was referred to calcarine-occipital cortex as a reference sensory area. Cross-sectional differences between the three groups were highly statistically significant, but reflected primarily the reductions in cortical uptake in the Alzheimer group. A detailed comparison of depressed patients and controls identified decrements in anterior cingulate, temporal and frontal cortex and in caudate and thalamus in men only. These decrements were correlated with impairment of performance on a trail-making task, but were also associated with continuing treatment with antidepressants or benzodiazepines. However, most depressed patients had quantitatively normal scans for posterior parietal association cortex, and this suggests that SPECT may find a limited role in the differential diagnosis of depression and dementia. The reduced brain function in some depressed patients may parallel the findings from studies of brain structure in elderly depressives; there was between good outcome at 6-18 months and increased tracer uptake in subcortical areas.

Citation

Curran, S. M., Murray, C. M., Van Beck, M., Dougall, N., O'Carroll, R. E., Austin, M. P., Ebmeier, K. P., & Goodwin, G. M. (1993). A single photon emission computerised tomography study of regional brain function in elderly patients with major depression and with Alzheimer-type dementia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 163(2), 155-165. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.163.2.155

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 1, 1993
Online Publication Date Jan 2, 2018
Publication Date Aug 1, 1993
Deposit Date Sep 30, 2016
Journal The British Journal of Psychiatry
Print ISSN 0007-1250
Electronic ISSN 1472-1465
Publisher Royal College of Psychiatrists
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 163
Issue 2
Pages 155-165
DOI https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.163.2.155
Keywords Psychiatry, mental health, elderly patients, Alzheimers, dementia,
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/396554