Altered regional cerebral blood perfusion in mild cognitive impairment patients with dizziness

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundDizziness is a common symptom presenting with lightheadedness, vertigo, or disequilibrium. Previous studies reported that the prevalence of feeling dizziness is increased with age and chronic dizziness including vestibular vertigo and orthostatic hypotension may be associated with cognitive impairment and psychiatric illness. The aim of this study was to examine regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in mild cognitive impairment patients with or without dizziness using single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).MethodA total of 50 patients with MCI were recruited. All participants underwent brain SPECT and completed the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI, 0‐100 points, higher scores indicating more severe handicap). Participants divided into a dizziness group (DHI ≥ 1, n = 18) and a non‐dizziness group (DHI = 0, n = 32).ResultThere were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of demographics. Patients with dizziness had a mean DHI score of 16.3 ± 14.6. SPECT analysis revealed decreased rCBF in the left superior temporal gyrus, left lateral orbital gyrus, and right middle frontal gyrus in patients with dizziness compared with those without dizziness. There were no significant clusters of increased rCBF in patients with dizziness compared with those without dizziness.ConclusionMCI patients with dizziness revealed frontal and left temporal hypoperfusion compared with the patients without dizziness. This finding is similar to those of the patients with persistent postural perceptual dizziness, the representative functional dizziness. Our result suggested that the altered rCBF in the left temporal and frontal cortices might be reflecting the negative impact of dizziness in patients with MCI.