Background and purpose: Cognitively stimulating life experiences and activities are deemed to moderate the clinical impact of brain damage progressively building a neural and cognitive reserve (CR). CR has been studied extensively in various neurodegenerative disorders, but not in corticobasal degeneration (CBD).
Methods: Using Statistical Parametric Mapping 8, years of education, as a determinant of CR, was correlated with tracer uptake on positron emission tomography with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose, as a marker of neurodegeneration, in 35 patients with various phenotypes of CBD, including a cognitive-motor composite score or symptoms duration as covariates for controlling disease stage.
Results: A cluster of relative hypometabolism was found associated with higher education in the left inferior regions of pre- and post-rolandic gyri and insula, which represent typical loci of neurodegeneration in CBD regardless of clinical presentation.
Conclusions: The present findings extend to CBD the evidence gathered in other neurodegenerative disorders that a higher CR has a protective effect against the clinical manifestations of brain degeneration.
Keywords: FDG positron emission tomography; cognitive reserve; corticobasal degeneration.
© 2018 EAN.