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Striatal dopaminergic patterns and clinical features in frontotemporal dementia
Daniele Urso, Antonio Anastasia, Valentina Gnoni, Alessia Giugno, Davide Vilella, Alessandra Vitulli, Chiara Zecca, José A. Pineda‐Pardo et al.. Brain Communications, 2025-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Moreover, a theoretical model proposes that frontotemporal dementia manifestations result from a deficit in goal-directed behaviour, which may be related to altered dopamine control of the frontostriatal circuitry. This study used 123I-Ioflupane Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography imaging to measure striatal dopamine transporter levels and their distribution patterns in frontotemporal dementia, compared to Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls. We found that dopamine transporter levels were reduced in frontotemporal dementia compared to healthy controls (P < 0.001) and that frontotemporal dementia showed a higher putamen-to-caudate ratio than Parkinson’s disease (P < 0.001), particularly notable in patients with identified disease-causing mutation. These findings suggest that the pattern of dopamine transporter uptake could serve as a valuable biomarker for frontotemporal dementia, shedding light on the role of the dopaminergic system and the striatum in some fundamental clinical aspects.
Key findings
- Moreover, a theoretical model proposes that frontotemporal dementia manifestations result from a deficit in goal-directed behaviour, which may be related to altered dopamine control of the frontostriatal circuitry.
- This study used 123I-Ioflupane Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography imaging to measure striatal dopamine transporter levels and their distribution patterns in frontotemporal dementia, compared to Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls.
- We found that dopamine transporter levels were reduced in frontotemporal dementia compared to healthy controls (P < 0.001) and that frontotemporal dementia showed a higher putamen-to-caudate ratio than Parkinson’s disease (P < 0.001), particularly notable in patients with identified disease-causing mutation.
- These findings suggest that the pattern of dopamine transporter uptake could serve as a valuable biomarker for frontotemporal dementia, shedding light on the role of the dopaminergic system and the striatum in some fundamental clinical aspects.
Why it matters
Using brain imaging, researchers found lower dopamine transporter levels in frontotemporal dementia compared to healthy controls, with a different distribution pattern than in Parkinson's disease. The authors suggest this pattern could serve as a biomarker, but this is a diagnostic finding, not a treatment.
Study details
- Participants139
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Brain Communications) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Brain Communications: journal h-index 67 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 139 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 7 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 7 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Giancarlo Logroscino: h-index 126 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Instituto de Salud Carlos III: institution h-index 649 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40842884) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaf284
- PubMed: 40842884
- Original source →
- Free full text: Brain Communications →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Urso, D., Anastasia, A., Gnoni, V., Giugno, A., Vilella, D., Vitulli, A., et al. (2025). Striatal dopaminergic patterns and clinical features in frontotemporal dementia. Brain Communications. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaf284
Vancouver
Urso D, Anastasia A, Gnoni V, Giugno A, Vilella D, Vitulli A, et al. Striatal dopaminergic patterns and clinical features in frontotemporal dementia. Brain Communications. 2025. doi:10.1093/braincomms/fcaf284. PMID: 40842884.
BibTeX
@article{urso2025-40842884,
author = {Urso, Daniele and Anastasia, Antonio and Gnoni, Valentina and Giugno, Alessia and Vilella, Davide and Vitulli, Alessandra and Zecca, Chiara and Pineda‐Pardo, José A. and others},
title = {{Striatal dopaminergic patterns and clinical features in frontotemporal dementia}},
journal = {Brain Communications},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/braincomms/fcaf284},
pmid = {40842884},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaf284}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 18.