Abstract

Background

Functional somatic syndrome (FSS) is a disorder characterized by clusters of medically unexplained symptoms. Some women suffer from persistent FSS after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. However, a causal relationship has not been established, and the pathophysiology of FSS remains elusive. Here, we aimed to identify the brain regions showing altered cerebral metabolism and neuroinflammation in patients with FSS and to correlate the measures of positron emission tomography (PET) with clinical data. Twelve women diagnosed with FSS following HPV vaccination (FSS group) underwent both [18F]FDG-PET to measure glucose metabolism and [11C]DPA713-PET to measure neuroinflammation. [18F]FDG standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) and [11C]DPA713 binding potential (BPND) values were compared voxel-wise between the FSS and control groups (n = 12 for [18F]FDG, n = 16 for [11C]DPA713). A region-of-interest (ROI)-based analysis was performed to correlate PET parameters with clinical scores. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons.

Results

Statistical parametric mapping revealed a concomitant significant decrease of [18F]FDG SUVR and increase of [11C]DPA713 BPND in the regions covering the thalamus, mesial temporal area, and brainstem in the FSS group. Correlation analysis revealed that intelligence and memory scores were significantly positively correlated with [18F]FDG SUVR and negatively so with [11C]DPA713 BPND in these regions. A direct comparison between [18F]FDG SUVR and [11C]DPA713 BPND revealed a significant positive correlation in the right hippocampus and amygdala.

Conclusions

Cerebral hypometabolism with neuroinflammation occurring in the thalamo-limbic-brainstem region may reflect the pathophysiology of FSS.

Details

Title
Coexistence of cerebral hypometabolism and neuroinflammation in the thalamo-limbic-brainstem region in young women with functional somatic syndrome
Author
Matsudaira Takashi 1 ; Terada Tatsuhiro 1 ; Obi Tomokazu 2 ; Yokokura Masamichi 3 ; Takahashi Yukitoshi 4 ; Ouchi Yasuomi 5 

 Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Department of Biofunctional Imaging, Preeminent Medical Photonics Education & Research Center, Hamamatsu, Japan (GRID:grid.505613.4); National Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Shizuoka Institute of Epilepsy and Neurological Disorders, NHO, Shizuoka, Japan (GRID:grid.419174.e) (ISNI:0000 0004 0618 9684) 
 National Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Shizuoka Institute of Epilepsy and Neurological Disorders, NHO, Shizuoka, Japan (GRID:grid.419174.e) (ISNI:0000 0004 0618 9684) 
 Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu, Japan (GRID:grid.505613.4) 
 National Epilepsy Center, Department of Pediatrics, Shizuoka Institute of Epilepsy and Neurological Disorders, NHO, Shizuoka, Japan (GRID:grid.419174.e) (ISNI:0000 0004 0618 9684) 
 Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Department of Biofunctional Imaging, Preeminent Medical Photonics Education & Research Center, Hamamatsu, Japan (GRID:grid.505613.4) 
Publication year
2020
Publication date
Dec 2020
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
e-ISSN
2191219X
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2379986186
Copyright
EJNMMI Research is a copyright of Springer, (2020). All Rights Reserved. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.