Hemispherical dominance of glucose metabolic rate in the brain of the 'normal' ageing population

In the 'normal' ageing brain a decrease in the cerebral metabolic rate has been determined across many brain regions. This study determines whether age differences would affect metabolic rates in regions and different hemispheres of the brain. The regional metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRGlu) was examined in a group of 72 subjects, ages 22 to 82 years, with 36 regions of interest chosen from both hemispheres of the cortex, midbrain and cerebellum. To determine metabolic rates the in-vivo technique of positron emission tomography (PET) was employed. Three age groups were chosen to compare hemispherical differences. In both young and intermediate age groups the left hemisphere had higher rCMRGlu values than those of the right for the majority of regions with, although less pronounced in the intermediate group. Importantly, the older age group displayed little difference between hemispheres.