EFFECTS OF AGING AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE ON BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

正电子发射断层扫描（PET）和磁共振成像（MRI）的介绍 核磁共振成像（MRI）极大地促进了我们对大脑的了解 在各种生理状态下的功能和结构， 大脑的紊乱 一些研究人员，包括来自 宾夕法尼亚大学利用这些强大的模式 来研究正常衰老和痴呆中发生的变化。 已经注意到，通过PET确定的脑功能的改变 在与衰老相关的疾病中出现结构变化。 然而，在这方面， 关于这场战争的程度和范围 在正常衰老的大脑和大脑中的功能和结构发现， 痴呆 这部分是由于次优分辨率（PET）和 早期仪器的有限能力（MRI）， 对受影响的关键地点进行详细研究。 与 近年来取得的进展，大脑的大多数结构显然是 并以前所未有的细节评估其功能。 我们计划研究140名正常受试者（70名男性和70名女性 20 - 89岁）和80名阿尔茨海默病患者（40 年龄在50至89岁之间的男性和40名女性）。 每个 受试者将入住HUP的临床研究中心， 接受完整的神经病学，精神病学，神经心理学和 实验室测试 此外，详细的大脑MR和PET图像 将获得。 PET成像将在以下进行： 施用18F-氟脱氧葡萄糖并利用独特的 仪器; PENN-PET。 这台机器允许高分辨率成像的 大脑在三个平面上。 虽然整个大脑将被检查 对于这两种模式，将特别注意时间 耳垂 这项研究的主要目的是回答一些关键的问题。 关于结构和代谢改变的问题， 发生在颞叶，特别是 海马/杏仁核复合体 我们打算把结构和 代谢变化与特定的神经精神功能。 我们将 检查记忆子过程与结构之间的关系 各个区域的完整性和代谢活性，特别是在 颞-海马系统及相关皮质网络。 的 从这项研究中获得的信息可能会大大改善我们的 了解病理生理过程， 老年痴呆症

The introduction of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has greatly advanced our understanding of brain function and structure in various physiological states and in many disorders of the brain. Several investigators including researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have utilized these powerful modalities to examine changes that occur in normal aging as well as in dementia. It has been noted that alteration in brain function as determined by PET precede structural changes in disorders associated with aging. However, there are conflicting reports with regard to the degree and the extent of functional and structural findings in the normally aging brain and in dementia. This is partly due to the suboptimal resolution (PET) and the limited capabilities (MRI) of the earlier instruments which prevented detailed studies of the critical sites that are affected. With the advances made in recent years, most structures of the brain are clearly delineated and their function assessed with unprecedented detail. We are proposing to study 140 normal subjects (70 males and 70 females from 20 to 89 years of age) and 80 patients with Alzheimer's Disease (40 males and 40 females from 50 to 89 years of age) over 5 years. Each subject will be admitted to the Clinical Research Center at HUP and will undergo complete neurological, psychiatric, neuropsychological and laboratory testing. In addition, detailed MR and PET images of the brain will be obtained. PET imaging will be carried out following the administration of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose and utilizing a unique instrument; PENN-PET. This machine allows high resolution imaging of the brain in all three planes. Although the entire brain will be examined with both modalities, special attention will be paid to the temporal lobes. The major aim of the proposed research is to answer some critical questions regarding structural and metabolic alterations that frequently take place in the temporal lobes and particularly in the hippocampal/amygdalar complex. We intend to correlate structural and metabolic changes with specific neuropsychiatric functions. We will examine the relation between the memory subprocesses with structural integrity and metabolic activity of various regions particularly within the temporal-hippocampal system and related cortical network. The information gained from this study may significantly improve our understanding of the pathophysiological processes that underlie Alzheimer's Disease.