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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Histological Examination of Mitochondrial Morphology in a Parkinson's Disease Model
Published on: June 23, 2023
White matter hyperintensities and cortical acetylcholinesterase activity in parkinsonian dementia
G A Marshall1, E Shchelchkov, D I Kaufer
1Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between the severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and cortical acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in parkinsonian dementia (PDem).
Methods:
PDem (n = 11) and control subjects (n = 14) underwent [11C]methyl-4-piperidinyl propionate (11C-PMP) AChE brain positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Presence of WMH on proton density and T2 MR images was scored using a modified version of the semi-quantitative rating scale by Scheltens et al. [J Neurol Sci114 (1993)].
Results:
Analysis demonstrated significantly lower mean cortical (11)C-PMP k3 hydrolysis rates in PDem (-19.9%) when compared with control subjects (P < 0.0001). PDem subjects had higher mean severity of WMH (+20.1%) when compared with control subjects (P < 0.05). When WMH severity was entered into the analysis of variance model, there was no significant co-variate effect on cortical AChE activity (F = 0.24, ns).
Conclusions:
The concomitant presence of mild to moderate WMH in patients with PDem does not have a significant effect on cortical AChE activity.
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