Alpha[11C] methyl-L-typtophan positron emission tomography in patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood

Based on previous reports suggesting a role of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the pathomechanism of alternating hemiplegia of childhood and speculation that it may be a migraine variant, we measured brain serotonin synthesis in children with alternating hemiplegia of childhood. Clinical and neurodevelopmental data, as well as standard uptake values in 25 brain regions and whole-brain serotonin synthesis capacity (unidirectional uptake rate constant or K-complex), were assessed in six patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood (three girls and three boys; mean age = 7 6/12 years) using alpha11C]methyl-L-tryptophan positron emission tomography (PET). The PET studies were performed interictally in three patients, during the ictal state in two patients, and postictally in one patient. The PET data were compared to those obtained interictally from six age-matched patients with focal epilepsy (two girls and four boys; mean age = 7 8/12 years) and six non-age-matched apparently normal siblings of autistic children (two girls and four boys; mean age = 9 11/12 years). Patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood studied in the ictal or postictal state showed increased serotonin synthesis capacity in the frontoparietal cortex, lateral and medial temporal structures, striatum, and thalamus when compared to controls, and subjects with alternating hemiplegia of childhood studied interictally. The involvement of these brain regions was consistent with the semiology of the hemiplegic attacks. In patients with interictal studies and in the controls, the PET scans revealed similar and bilaterally symmetric regional patterns of serotonin synthesis capacity. Increased whole-brain serotonin synthesis capacity (reported in migraine subjects without aura) was not found in the alternating hemiplegia of childhood group. There was no correlation between the neurodevelopmental scores and regional standard uptake values; however, patients with a larger estimated lifetime attack number showed greater delay in communication (P = .005) and daily living skills (P = .042). These studies suggest increased regional serotonergic activity associated with attacks in alternating hemiplegia of childhood. Furthermore, the attack number may have an effect on neurodevelopmental delay, thus supporting the notion that alternating hemiplegia of childhood may be a progressive disorder.