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Would Damage To Caudate Nucleus Show Up In SPECT Scan?

Posted on Mon, 23 Feb 2015

Question: Hey I'm back -

Would damage to the caudate or decreased caudate activity show up on a SPECT scan?

Besides the caudate and the mesolimbic pathway, are there any other dopamine dense areas, or dopamine centers in the brain?

Does the brain ever shut down dopamine areas as a form of protection from toxins?

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
There are other dopamine areas in brain.

Detailed Answer:
Hi, good to have you back.

SPECT Scan shows function of brain areas by measuring blood flow to that area.

If caudate is damaged or has a decreased function, this should show up on SPECT Scan.

Dopaminergic areas of the brain are: substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, striatum, posterior hypothalamus, a part of prefrontal cortex ( nucleus acumbens).

Dopamine areas stop functioning if there are any substances that stop dopamine production or block dopamine receptors in synapses.

Hope this helps.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (5 hours later)

Thanks!

Any idea how part of my brain could not be functioning but there is still blood flow to the area? Can the brain cut off an area but keep it alive / how does it do this?

Can the brain chose to block DA at synapses for some reason (other than excess DA) or block production that you know of?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
There are threshold in blood flow to cause damage.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXXXXX

There are thresholds of blood flow in different parts of brain and lowering of blood flow to a certain level stops the neurons function, further lowering of blood flow causes cell death.

There is possible that moderate lowering of blood flow to cause stopping of neurons function, but only in a short period of time.

This can happen to dopamine neurons too.

But brain can't chose to close an area or another, blood supply or other substances affect neurons function.

Ok?

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (52 minutes later)

Thanks yeah that makes sense. I'm just trying to figure out what went wrong with my brain (I could feel toxins flowing through my head, and then it just "locked off" an area.) Its possible something is messed up with the brain stem electrical signaling?

XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Toxins damage whole brain.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again.

Toxins or toxic chemicals, heavy metals, can damage brain in general and different parts of it in different degrees, but not only a group of neurons.

Certain substances instead can affect groups of neurons damaging them or their functions.

If there is a damage of brainstem neurons, then there could be malfunction of brainstem signaling.

Hope this helps.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (1 hour later)

Yes thanks. Final question:

Which brain region(s) is involved in holding 2 or 3 or more ideas / concepts / images / anything in your mind simultaneously? So... what is responsible for letting you think about multiple things at once and how they relate?

Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Simultaneously thinking is a complex process.

Detailed Answer:
Simultaneously thinking, or switching between ideas/thoughts/concepts is a complex brain process and different areas of brain participate in this, these areas include prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, cingulate gyrus and basal ganglia.

Interaction between these areas results in simultaneously thinking or cognitive flexibility.

Wishing you all the best.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D