Affiliations: Clinica Neurologica, Università di Brescia, Italy | Divisione Neurologica, Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy | INB-CNR, University of Milan, Scientific Institute H. S. Raffaele, Milano, Italy
Note: [] Correspondence to: S. F. Cappa, Clinica Neurologica Università di Brescia, II Neurologia Spedali Civili, 25125 Brescia, Italy
Abstract: A patient with progressive dementia, prominent non-fluent aphasia and signs of frontal lobe involvement, was evaluated by neuropsychological testing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high resolution single photon emission tomography (SPET). The presence of severe bucco-facial apraxia, associated with spared imitation of limb movements, correlated well with a marked reduction of cerebral perfusion in the left fronto-temporal cortex. This case emphasizes the usefulness of SPET as a valuable alternative to PET for the diagnosis of conditions, such as progressive neuropsychological syndromes, where a coupled reduction of metabolism and blood flow can be expected.
Keywords: Apraxia, Dementia, Single photon emission tomography
