Molecular neuroimaging research of abnormality of default mode network in dementia

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K09844
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Koeda Michihiko 日本医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (60434130)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大久保 善朗 日本医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (20213663) ; 舘野 周 日本医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (50297917)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: アミロイドイメージング / 機能的MRI / デフォルトモード・ネットワーク / 認知症 / 軽度認知障害 / 頭頂葉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Development of new treatments for the early prevention of dementia is a pressing issue for the aging society of Japan. We examined the accumulation of amyloid, considered a risk for dementia, by Positron Emission Tomography. In addition, with the use of functional MRI, we evaluated brain function at resting state in Alzheimer’s disease and depression in the elderly. Based on the results, we verified the associated accumulation of amyloid with brain function at resting state, including the default mode network (DMN). Our results showed that amyloid gradually accumulates in persons at risk of dementia. Further, our results demonstrated that patients with depression have functional impairment in the left parietal lobe, whereas those with Alzheimer’s disease are impaired in the right parietal lobe. From these findings, association between the progressive pathology of dementia and brain function at resting state was revealed.

Free Research Field

精神医学、精神生理学、脳機能画像学