Reversible increase in stress-associated neurobiological activity in the acute phase of Takotsubo syndrome; a brain 18F-FDG-PET study

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is triggered mostly by physical and/or emotional stress that is processed in stress-associated brain regions, including the amygdala. However, it remains unclear whether such stress-induced brain activity is associated with TTS onset. We acquired brain [18F]-2-fluoro-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography in 4 TTS patients (44–82 yrs., 3 women) on days 2–4 (acute phase) and days 29–40 (recovery phase) after diagnosis of TTS was made by coronary angiography and left ventriculogram. The 18F-FDG uptake was measured globally and also in the pre-defined regions of interest of the bilateral amygdala on the common Montreal Neurological Institute space; all 18F-FDG images were normalized using automated image pre-processing. Amygdalar activity was calculated by dividing the 18F-FDG uptake of the amygdala by the global brain uptake. Left ventriculograms showed that apical ballooning was typical at diagnosis and was then relieved in the recovery phase. Amygdalar activity in the acute phase (0.872 ± 0.032) was higher than in the recovery phase (0.805 ± 0.037) (P = 0.013). We report here 4 cases of TTS showing higher amygdalar activity in the acute phase as compared with the recovery phase, suggesting that increased stress-induced neurobiological activity is associated with TTS onset. •Association of stress-evoked brain activity with takotsubo syndrome onset is unclear.•Increased amygdalar activity has been reported few years before takotsubo onset.•Amygdalar activity was thus measured on days 2–4 and 29–40 after takotsubo onset.•Amygdalar activity in the acute phase was higher than that in the recovery phase.•Stress-induced neurobiological activation may be associated with takotsubo onset.