Higher nigrostriatal dopamine neuron loss in early than late onset Parkinson's disease? A [Tc-99m]-TRODAT-1 SPECT study

Early-onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD) is distinct from the classic late-onset PD (LOPD) because of its slower disease progression. the aim of this study was to compare dopamine neuronal loss in EOPD with that of LOPD with the same disease duration, through dopamine transporter (DAT) estimation. Fourteen patients, seven EOPD (< 50 years) and seven LOPD, matched for disease duration were scanned with [Tc-99m]-TRODAT-1-SPECT (INER-Taiwan), and were assessed with standard PD scales. EOPD patients had 34% lower striatal DAT binding potential (BP) compared with that of LOPD patients (BP = 0.29 +/- 0.12, BP = 0.44 +/- 0.12, P < 0.02) with similar PD severity. These results suggest that EOPD patients have greater dopamine density loss than LOPD patients without motor-symptom worsening. (c) 2007 Movement Disorder Society.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Lab Interdiciplinar Neuroimagem & Cognicao LiNC, Dept Psychiat, BR-04026001 São Paulo, BrazilInst Israelita Ensino & Pesquisa Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Israelita Albert Einstein, Dept Imaging, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol, São Paulo, BrazilInst Nucl Energy Res, Longtan, TaiwanUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Lab Interdiciplinar Neuroimagem & Cognicao LiNC, Dept Psychiat, BR-04026001 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc