Uncoupling of oxygen and glucose metabolism in persistent crossed cerebellar diaschisis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The pathophysiology of deafferentation-induced changes after stroke remains unclear. Some supratentorial strokes cause persistent decreases in blood flow and metabolism in the contralateral cerebellum (persistent crossed cerebellar diaschisis[CCD]). Our previous study showed uncoupling of oxygen consumption and blood flow in this condition, which may reflect a characteristic change in brain metabolism caused by deafferentation. This uncoupling might be related to oxidation of some substrates other than blood-borne glucose, which could also lead to the uncoupling of oxygen consumption and glucose utilization. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether oxygen consumption is uncoupled from glucose utilization in persistent CCD. METHODS Using positron emission tomography in 10 unilateral supratentorial stroke patients, we evaluated regional blood flow, oxygen consumption, and glucose utilization in the cerebellar cortex in the chronic stage. Eight patients with a significant cerebellar blood flow asymmetry, defined as outside the 95% confidence limits predefined in 9 normal subjects, were selected as patients with persistent CCD. RESULTS In patients with CCD, the cerebellar cortex contralateral to the stroke showed significant decreases in both oxygen consumption and glucose utilization compared with the ipsilateral cerebellar cortex. The decrease in oxygen consumption was less than the decrease in glucose utilization, resulting in a significant increase in the oxygen consumption/glucose utilization ratio. CONCLUSIONS Persistent CCD caused by stroke may induce uncoupling of oxygen consumption and glucose utilization, which may reflect a characteristic change in brain metabolism caused by deafferentation.