Lyme, cerebrall blood flow, and white matter

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J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2003 Summer;15(3):326-32. Related

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Regional cerebral blood flow and cognitive deficits in chronic lyme

disease.

Fallon BA, Keilp J, Prohovnik I, Heertum RV, Mann JJ.

The NYS Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032, USA.

This study examined brain functioning in patients with Lyme

encephalopathy. Eleven patients underwent neuropsychological tests

and Xenon(133)-regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) studies, using an

external detector system. Each rCBF scan was age- and sex-matched to

two archival, normal controls. While few differences were noted on

gray-matter flow indices (ISI, fg), Lyme patients demonstrated

significant flow reductions in white matter index (k(2)) (p=.004),

particularly in the posterior temporal and parietal lobes

bilaterally (p=.003). Flow reductions in white matter areas were

significantly associated with deficits in memory (r=.66, p=.027) and

visuospatial organization (r=.62, p=.041). Results suggest that Lyme

encephalopathy may be a disease primarily affecting the cerebral

white matter.

PMID: 12928508 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]