Sleep Med Psychophysiol.  1994 Dec;1(2):193-196.

Utility of Brain SPECT in Diagnosis of Elderly Depressed Patient

• Kim YC

Abstract

Primary depression with cognitive impairment, referred to as depressive pseudodementia, may be mistaken for a progressive degenerative dementia. Recognition of primary depression is clinically important because of its treatability. To differentiate depression from degenerative dementia, author used brain SPECT. By the result the regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF) in elderly depressed patient was decreased in the right frontal cortex. The pattern of rCBF was different from that of dementia which shows decreased rCBF in bifrontal cortex. By using brain SPECT in depressed elderly patient with cognitive impairment, the discrimination from dementia will be more effective and accurate.

Keyword

SPECT; rCBF; Degenerative dementia; Elderly depressed patient

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Brain*
Dementia
Depression
Diagnosis*
Discrimination (Psychology)
Factitious Disorders
Humans
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*