Functional correlates of striatal dopamine transporter cerebrospinal fluid levels in Alzheimer’s disease: a preliminary 18F-FDG PET/CT study

The aim of our study was to investigate regional glucose metabolism with 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography in a population of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in relation to cerebrospinal (CSF) levels of striatal dopamine transporter (DAT). All patients underwent lumbar puncture and received a biomarker-based diagnosis of AD. Differences in regional brain glucose metabolism were assessed by Statistical Parametric Mapping version 12 with the use of age, gender, and MMSE as covariates in the analysis. A positive correlation between CSF DAT levels and glucose metabolism at the level of two brain areas involved in the pathophysiological process of Alzheimer’s disease, the substantia nigra and the posterior cingulate gyrus, has been highlighted. Results indicate that patients with higher CSF DAT levels have a better metabolic pattern in two key zones, suggesting less advanced disease status in patients with more conserved dopaminergic systems.