Regional cerebral blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid amino acid analysis in elderly dementia

Regional cerebral blood flow and amino acid concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid were studied in 12 cases of vascular dementia, 12 cases of Alzheimer's disease, 12 cases of chronic alcoholism, and 12 age-matched healthy controls. In vascular dementia, blood flows were decreased in the cerebral cortex, frontal white matter, thalamus, caudate nucleus, and putamen and alpha-aminobutyric acid and glutamic acid concentrations were increased in the cerebrospinal fluid. In Alzheimer's disease, blood flows were decreased in the frontal cortex, parietal cortex, temporal cortex, and frontal white matter and alanine concentration was increased in the cerebrospinal fluid. In chronic alcoholism, blood flows were decreased in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and putamen and urea, alanine, and glycine concentrations were increased in the cerebrospinal fluid.