Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine if sex differences in glucose uptake, a marker of brain
activity, are present in brain regions that facilitate walking performance in
persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational
pilot. SETTING: University laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Positron emission tomography
with fluorine-18-labeled deoxyglucose (FDG) was performed on persons with MS and
healthy controls (4 men and 4 women per group; N=16) after a 15-minute walking
test. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Brain activity was
quantified as the mean standardized uptake value (SUV). RESULTS: The mean SUV was
significantly lower in the thalamus (P=.029) and cerebellum (P=.029) for men with
MS compared with women with MS, but not for the prefrontal (P=.057) or frontal
(P=.057) cortices. Similar nonsignificant trends were found for healthy controls.
No mean SUV group x sex interaction effects were found between the MS and healthy
control groups (all P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first
study of brain activity sex differences based on FDG uptake in persons with MS
during walking. Significantly less FDG uptake in the thalamus and cerebellum
brain regions important for walking performance was found in men with MS compared
with women with MS; however, these comparisons were not significantly different
in the healthy control group. No differences in FDG uptake were found between the
MS and healthy control groups in any of the brain regions examined. Results from
this study provide pilot data for larger studies aimed at identifying underlying
mechanisms responsible for accelerated disability in men with MS.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS