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Hu B, Younes L, Bu X, Liu CF, Ratnanather JT, Paulsen J, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Miller MI, Ross C, Faria AV. Mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses of deep gray matter and white matter using diffusion weighted images in premanifest and manifest Huntington's disease. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103493. [PMID: 37582307 PMCID: PMC10448214 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Changes in the brain of patients with Huntington's disease (HD) begin years before clinical onset, so it remains critical to identify biomarkers to track these early changes. Metrics derived from tensor modeling of diffusion-weighted MRIs (DTI), that indicate the microscopic brain structure, can add important information to regional volumetric measurements. This study uses two large-scale longitudinal, multicenter datasets, PREDICT-HD and IMAGE-HD, to trace changes in DTI of HD participants with a broad range of CAP scores (a product of CAG repeat expansion and age), including those with pre-manifest disease (i.e., prior to clinical onset). Utilizing a fully automated data-driven approach to study the whole brain divided in regions of interest, we traced changes in DTI metrics (diffusivity and fractional anisotropy) versus CAP scores, using sigmoidal and linear regression models. We identified points of inflection in the sigmoidal regression using change-point analysis. The deep gray matter showed more evident and earlier changes in DTI metrics over CAP scores, compared to the deep white matter. In the deep white matter, these changes were more evident and occurred earlier in superior and posterior areas, compared to anterior and inferior areas. The curves of mean diffusivity vs. age of HD participants within a fixed CAP score were different from those of controls, indicating that the disease has an additional effect to age on the microscopic brain structure. These results show the regional and temporal vulnerability of the white matter and deep gray matter in HD, with potential implications for experimental therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beini Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Laurent Younes
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xuan Bu
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chin-Fu Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - J Tilak Ratnanather
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jane Paulsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, Psychological Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, USA; Department Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute of Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Australia
| | - Michael I Miller
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christopher Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andreia V Faria
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Karpychev V, Bolgina T, Malytina S, Zinchenko V, Ushakov V, Ignatyev G, Dragoy O. Greater volumes of a callosal sub-region terminating in posterior language-related areas predict a stronger degree of language lateralization: A tractography study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276721. [PMID: 36520829 PMCID: PMC9754228 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Language lateralization is the most intriguing trait of functional asymmetry for cognitive functions. Nowadays, ontogenetic determinants of this trait are largely unknown, but there are efforts to find its anatomical correlates. In particular, a white matter interhemispheric connection-the corpus callosum-has been proposed as such. In the present study, we aimed to find the association between the degree of language lateralization and metrics of the callosal sub-regions. We applied a sentence completion fMRI task to measure the degree of language lateralization in a group of healthy participants balanced for handedness. We obtained the volumes and microstructural properties of callosal sub-regions with two tractography techniques, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD). The analysis of DTI-based metrics did not reveal any significant associations with language lateralization. In contrast, CSD-based analysis revealed that the volumes of a callosal sub-region terminating in the core posterior language-related areas predict a stronger degree of language lateralization. This finding supports the specific inhibitory model implemented through the callosal fibers projecting into the core posterior language-related areas in the degree of language lateralization, with no relevant contribution of other callosal sub-regions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Victoria Zinchenko
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies of the Moscow Department of Health, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vadim Ushakov
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Advanced Brain Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Olga Dragoy
- HSE University, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Demnitz N, Madsen KS, Johnsen LK, Kjaer M, Boraxbekk CJ, Siebner HR. Right-left asymmetry in corticospinal tract microstructure and dexterity are uncoupled in late adulthood. Neuroimage 2021; 240:118405. [PMID: 34280529 PMCID: PMC8456694 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing leads to a decline in white matter microstructure and dexterous function of the hand. In adolescents, it has previously been shown that the degree of right-left asymmetry in the corticospinal tract (CST) is linearly related with right-left asymmetry in dexterity. Here, we tested whether this association is also expressed in older adults. Participants completed a simple circle drawing task with their right and left hand as a measure of dexterity and underwent whole-brain diffusion weighted imaging at 3 Tesla (n = 199; aged 60-72 years). Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity of right and left CST were extracted from a manually defined region-of-interest. Linear regression analyses were computed to replicate the analyses in adolescents. Frequentist analyses were complemented with a Bayesian analytical framework. Outcome measures were compared with those previously reported in adolescents (aged 11-16 years). Asymmetries in white matter microstructure of the CST were evident and comparable to the degree of lateralisation observed in adolescence. Similarly, asymmetries in dexterity were evident, but to a lesser degree than in adolescents. Unlike in adolescents, we found no evidence of a linear relationship between asymmetries in CST microstructure and dexterity. Complementary Bayesian regression analysis provided moderate evidence in favour of the null hypothesis, pointing towards a lack of association between the structural and functional measures of right-left asymmetry. Our findings are compatible with the notion that, by late adulthood, a diverging impact of age on white matter structure and dexterous hand function dilutes the structure-function relationship between CST microstructure and manual proficiency that has been reported in adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara Demnitz
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark.
| | - Kathrine Skak Madsen
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; Radiography, Department of Technology, University College Copenhagen, Sigurdsgade 26, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Line K Johnsen
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Mental Health Services, Capital Region Psychiatry, Copenhagen, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Michael Kjaer
- Institute of Sports Medicine Copenhagen (ISMC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 København NV, Denmark; Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Carl-Johan Boraxbekk
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; Institute of Sports Medicine Copenhagen (ISMC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 København NV, Denmark; Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Hartwig R Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark; Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 København NV, Denmark
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Gatto RG, Weissmann C. Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Preclinical and Human Studies of Huntington's Disease: What Have we Learned so Far? Curr Med Imaging 2020; 15:521-542. [PMID: 32008561 DOI: 10.2174/1573405614666181115113400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's Disease is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive deterioration of specific brain nerve cells. The current evaluation of cellular and physiological events in patients with HD relies on the development of transgenic animal models. To explore such events in vivo, diffusion tensor imaging has been developed to examine the early macro and microstructural changes in brain tissue. However, the gap in diffusion tensor imaging findings between animal models and clinical studies and the lack of microstructural confirmation by histological methods has questioned the validity of this method. OBJECTIVE This review explores white and grey matter ultrastructural changes associated to diffusion tensor imaging, as well as similarities and differences between preclinical and clinical Huntington's Disease studies. METHODS A comprehensive review of the literature using online-resources was performed (Pub- Med search). RESULTS Similar changes in fractional anisotropy as well as axial, radial and mean diffusivities were observed in white matter tracts across clinical and animal studies. However, comparative diffusion alterations in different grey matter structures were inconsistent between clinical and animal studies. CONCLUSION Diffusion tensor imaging can be related to specific structural anomalies in specific cellular populations. However, some differences between animal and clinical studies could derive from the contrasting neuroanatomy or connectivity across species. Such differences should be considered before generalizing preclinical results into the clinical practice. Moreover, current limitations of this technique to accurately represent complex multicellular events at the single micro scale are real. Future work applying complex diffusion models should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Gabriel Gatto
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, United States
| | - Carina Weissmann
- Insituto de Fisiología Biologia Molecular y Neurociencias-IFIBYNE-CONICET, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Wilton DK, Stevens B. The contribution of glial cells to Huntington's disease pathogenesis. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 143:104963. [PMID: 32593752 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Glial cells play critical roles in the normal development and function of neural circuits, but in many neurodegenerative diseases, they become dysregulated and may contribute to the development of brain pathology. In Huntington's disease (HD), glial cells both lose normal functions and gain neuropathic phenotypes. In addition, cell-autonomous dysfunction elicited by mutant huntingtin (mHTT) expression in specific glial cell types is sufficient to induce both pathology and Huntington's disease-related impairments in motor and cognitive performance, suggesting that these cells may drive the development of certain aspects of Huntington's disease pathogenesis. In support of this imaging studies in pre-symptomatic HD patients and work on mouse models have suggested that glial cell dysfunction occurs at a very early stage of the disease, prior to the onset of motor and cognitive deficits. Furthermore, selectively ablating mHTT from specific glial cells or correcting for HD-induced changes in their transcriptional profile rescues some HD-related phenotypes, demonstrating the potential of targeting these cells for therapeutic intervention. Here we review emerging research focused on understanding the involvement of different glial cell types in specific aspects of HD pathogenesis. This work is providing new insight into how HD impacts biological functions of glial cells in the healthy brain as well as how HD induced dysfunction in these cells might change the way they integrate into biological circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel K Wilton
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Beth Stevens
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Stanley Center, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Andica C, Kamagata K, Hatano T, Saito Y, Ogaki K, Hattori N, Aoki S. MR Biomarkers of Degenerative Brain Disorders Derived From Diffusion Imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging 2019; 52:1620-1636. [PMID: 31837086 PMCID: PMC7754336 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.27019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of neurodegenerative diseases has shown an increasing trend. These conditions typically cause progressive functional disability. Identification of robust biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases is a key imperative to facilitate early identification of the pathological features and to foster a better understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms of individual diseases. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is the most widely used diffusion MRI technique for assessment of neurodegenerative diseases. The DTI parameters are promising biomarkers for evaluation of microstructural changes; however, some limitations of DTI restrict its wider clinical use. New diffusion MRI techniques, such as diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), bi-tensor DTI, and neurite orientation density and dispersion imaging (NODDI) have been demonstrated to provide value addition to DTI for evaluation of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review article, we summarize the key technical aspects and provide an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the role of DKI, bi-tensor DTI, and NODDI as biomarkers of microstructural changes in representative neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2020;52:1620-1636.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Andica
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Kamagata
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taku Hatano
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuya Saito
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Radiological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Ogaki
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobutaka Hattori
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeki Aoki
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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De Paepe AE, Sierpowska J, Garcia-Gorro C, Martinez-Horta S, Perez-Perez J, Kulisevsky J, Rodriguez-Dechicha N, Vaquer I, Subira S, Calopa M, Muñoz E, Santacruz P, Ruiz-Idiago J, Mareca C, de Diego-Balaguer R, Camara E. White matter cortico-striatal tracts predict apathy subtypes in Huntington's disease. Neuroimage Clin 2019; 24:101965. [PMID: 31401404 PMCID: PMC6700450 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Apathy is the neuropsychiatric syndrome that correlates most highly with Huntington's disease progression, and, like early patterns of neurodegeneration, is associated with lesions to cortico-striatal connections. However, due to its multidimensional nature and elusive etiology, treatment options are limited. OBJECTIVES To disentangle underlying white matter microstructural correlates across the apathy spectrum in Huntington's disease. METHODS Forty-six Huntington's disease individuals (premanifest (N = 22) and manifest (N = 24)) and 35 healthy controls were scanned at 3-tesla and underwent apathy evaluation using the short-Problem Behavior Assessment and short-Lille Apathy Rating Scale, with the latter being characterized into three apathy domains, namely emotional, cognitive, and auto-activation deficit. Diffusion tensor imaging was used to study whether individual differences in specific cortico-striatal tracts predicted global apathy and its subdomains. RESULTS We elucidate that apathy profiles may develop along differential timelines, with the auto-activation deficit domain manifesting prior to motor onset. Furthermore, diffusion tensor imaging revealed that inter-individual variability in the disruption of discrete cortico-striatal tracts might explain the heterogeneous severity of apathy profiles. Specifically, higher levels of auto-activation deficit symptoms significantly correlated with increased mean diffusivity in the right uncinate fasciculus. Conversely, those with severe cognitive apathy demonstrated increased mean diffusivity in the right frontostriatal tract and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to caudate nucleus tract. CONCLUSIONS The current study provides evidence that white matter correlates associated with emotional, cognitive, and auto-activation subtypes may elucidate the heterogeneous nature of apathy in Huntington's disease, as such opening a door for individualized pharmacological management of apathy as a multidimensional syndrome in other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey E De Paepe
- Department of Neuroscience, Pomona College, Claremont, CA, United States; Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, 08097 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joanna Sierpowska
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, 08097 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cognition, Development and Education Psychology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Medical Psychology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Clara Garcia-Gorro
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, 08097 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cognition, Development and Education Psychology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Saül Martinez-Horta
- European Huntington's Disease Network, Germany; Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesus Perez-Perez
- European Huntington's Disease Network, Germany; Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaime Kulisevsky
- European Huntington's Disease Network, Germany; Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERNED (Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases), Carlos III Institute, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Irene Vaquer
- Hestia Duran i Reynals. Hospital Duran i Reynals, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susana Subira
- Hestia Duran i Reynals. Hospital Duran i Reynals, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Matilde Calopa
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esteban Muñoz
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain; IDIBAPS (Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer), Barcelona, Spain; Facultat de Medicina, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Santacruz
- Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesus Ruiz-Idiago
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Hospital Mare de Deu de la Mercè, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Celia Mareca
- Hospital Mare de Deu de la Mercè, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ruth de Diego-Balaguer
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, 08097 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cognition, Development and Education Psychology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; ICREA (Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Estela Camara
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute - IDIBELL, 08097 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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Chad JA, Pasternak O, Salat DH, Chen JJ. Re-examining age-related differences in white matter microstructure with free-water corrected diffusion tensor imaging. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 71:161-170. [PMID: 30145396 PMCID: PMC6179151 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used extensively to investigate white matter (WM) microstructural changes during healthy adult aging. However, WM fibers are known to shrink throughout the lifespan, leading to larger interstitial spaces with age. This could allow more extracellular free water molecules to bias DTI metrics, which are relied upon to provide WM microstructural information. Using a cohort of 212 participants, we demonstrate that WM microstructural changes in aging are potentially less pronounced than previously reported once the free water compartment is eliminated. After free water elimination, DTI parameters show age-related differences that match histological evidence of myelin degradation and debris accumulation. The fraction of free water is further shown to associate better with age than any of the conventional DTI parameters. Our findings suggest that DTI analyses involving free water are likely to yield novel insight into retrospective re-analysis of data and to answer new questions in ongoing DTI studies of brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A Chad
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David H Salat
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Neuroimaging Research for Veterans Center, Boston VA, VA Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J Jean Chen
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Gong S, Zhang F, Norton I, Essayed WI, Unadkat P, Rigolo L, Pasternak O, Rathi Y, Hou L, Golby AJ, O’Donnell LJ. Free water modeling of peritumoral edema using multi-fiber tractography: Application to tracking the arcuate fasciculus for neurosurgical planning. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197056. [PMID: 29746544 PMCID: PMC5944935 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Peritumoral edema impedes the full delineation of fiber tracts due to partial volume effects in image voxels that contain a mixture of cerebral parenchyma and extracellular water. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of incorporating a free water (FW) model of edema for white matter tractography in the presence of edema. Materials and methods We retrospectively evaluated 26 consecutive brain tumor patients with diffusion MRI and T2-weighted images acquired presurgically. Tractography of the arcuate fasciculus (AF) was performed using the two-tensor unscented Kalman filter tractography (UKFt) method, the UKFt method with a reduced fiber tracking stopping fractional anisotropy (FA) threshold (UKFt+rFA), and the UKFt method with the addition of a FW compartment (UKFt+FW). An automated white matter fiber tract identification approach was applied to delineate the AF. Quantitative measurements included tract volume, edema volume, and mean FW fraction. Visual comparisons were performed by three experts to evaluate the quality of the detected AF tracts. Results The AF volume in edematous brain hemispheres was significantly larger using the UKFt+FW method (p<0.0001) compared to UKFt, but not significantly larger (p = 0.0996) in hemispheres without edema. The AF size increase depended on the volume of edema: a significant correlation was found between AF volume affected by (intersecting) edema and AF volume change with the FW model (Pearson r = 0.806, p<0.0001). The mean FW fraction was significantly larger in tracts intersecting edema (p = 0.0271). Compared to the UKFt+rFA method, there was a significant increase of the volume of the AF tract that intersected the edema using the UKFt+FW method, while the whole AF volumes were similar. Expert judgment results, based on the five patients with the smallest AF volumes, indicated that the expert readers generally preferred the AF tract obtained by using the FW model, according to their anatomical knowledge and considering the potential influence of the final results on the surgical route. Conclusion Our results indicate that incorporating biophysical models of edema can increase the sensitivity of tractography in regions of peritumoral edema, allowing better tract visualization in patients with high grade gliomas and metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Gong
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Institute of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Isaiah Norton
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Walid I. Essayed
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Prashin Unadkat
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Laura Rigolo
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yogesh Rathi
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lijun Hou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Institute of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Alexandra J. Golby
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lauren J. O’Donnell
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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10
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Readdressing Fornix Pathology in Anorexia Nervosa. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2017; 2:386-387. [PMID: 29560925 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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11
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Myelin Breakdown in Human Huntington's Disease: Multi-Modal Evidence from Diffusion MRI and Quantitative Magnetization Transfer. Neuroscience 2017; 403:79-92. [PMID: 28579146 PMCID: PMC6458992 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The macromolecular proton fraction (MMPF), an MRI marker of myelin, was reduced in Huntington’s disease (HD). MMPF reductions in white matter suggest myelin breakdown. HD was associated with reductions in basal ganglia volume. HD was associated with poor executive functioning but preserved working memory capacity. Axial and radial diffusivities as unspecific metrics of white matter changes correlated with clinical markers of disease.
Huntington’s disease (HD) leads to white matter (WM) degeneration that may be due to an early breakdown in axon myelination but in vivo imaging correlates of demyelination remain relatively unexplored in HD compared to other neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigated HD-related effects on a putative marker of myelin, the macromolecular proton fraction (MMPF) from quantitative magnetization transfer and on fractional anisotropy, axial and radial diffusivity from diffusion tensor MR-imaging. Microstructural differences were studied in WM pathways of the basal ganglia and motor systems known to be impaired in HD: the corpus callosum, the cortico-spinal tract, the anterior thalamic radiation, fibers between prefrontal cortex and caudate and between supplementary motor area and putamen. Principal component analysis was employed for dimensionality reduction. Patients showed reductions in a component with high loadings on MMPF in all WM pathways and a trend for increases in a component loading on axial and radial diffusivities but no differences in a component loading on fractional anisotropy. While patients’ performance in executive functioning was impaired, their working memory span was preserved. Inter-individual differences in the diffusivity component correlated with patients’ performance in clinical measures of the United Huntington Disease Rating Scale. In summary, HD-related reductions in MMPF suggest that myelin breakdown contributes to WM impairment in human HD and emphasize the potential of quantitative MRI metrics to inform about disease pathogenesis. Disease severity in manifest HD, however, was best captured by non-specific diffusivity metrics sensitive to multiple disease and age-related changes.
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Fornix Under Water? Ventricular Enlargement Biases Forniceal Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Indices in Anorexia Nervosa. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2017; 2:430-437. [PMID: 29560927 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by reduced brain mass and corresponding increased sulcal and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid. Recent studies of white matter using diffusion tensor imaging consistently identified alterations in the fornix, such as reduced fractional anisotropy (FA). However, because the fornix penetrates the ventricles, it is prone to cerebrospinal fluid-induced partial volume effects that interfere with a valid assessment of FA. We investigated the hypothesis that in the acute stage of AN, FA of the fornix is markedly affected by ventricular volumes. METHODS First, using diffusion tensor imaging data we established the inverse associations between forniceal FA and volumes of the third and lateral ventricles in a prestudy with 32 healthy subjects to demonstrate the strength of ventricular influence on forniceal FA independent of AN. Second, we investigated a sample of 25 acute AN patients and 25 healthy control subjects. RESULTS Using ventricular volumes as covariates markedly reduced the group effect of forniceal FA, even with tract-based spatial statistics focusing only on the center of the fornix. In addition, after correcting for free water on voxel level, the group differences in forniceal FA between AN patients and controls disappeared completely. CONCLUSIONS It is unlikely that microstructural changes affecting FA occurred in the fornix of AN patients. Previously identified alterations in acute AN may have been biased by partial volume effects and the proposed central role of this structure in the pathophysiology may need to be reconsidered. Future studies on white matter alterations in AN should carefully deal with partial volume effects.
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Steventon JJ, Trueman RC, Ma D, Yhnell E, Bayram-Weston Z, Modat M, Cardoso J, Ourselin S, Lythgoe M, Stewart A, Rosser AE, Jones DK. Longitudinal in vivo MRI in a Huntington's disease mouse model: Global atrophy in the absence of white matter microstructural damage. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32423. [PMID: 27581950 PMCID: PMC5007531 DOI: 10.1038/srep32423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetically-determined neurodegenerative disease. Characterising neuropathology in mouse models of HD is commonly restricted to cross-sectional ex vivo analyses, beset by tissue fixation issues. In vivo longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for disease progression to be probed non-invasively. In the HdhQ150 mouse model of HD, in vivo MRI was employed at two time points, before and after the onset of motor signs, to assess brain macrostructure and white matter microstructure. Ex vivo MRI, immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy and behavioural testing were also conducted. Global brain atrophy was found in HdhQ150 mice at both time points, with no neuropathological progression across time and a selective sparing of the cerebellum. In contrast, no white matter abnormalities were detected from the MRI images or electron microscopy images alike. The relationship between motor function and MR-based structural measurements was different for the HdhQ150 and wild-type mice, although there was no relationship between motor deficits and histopathology. Widespread neuropathology prior to symptom onset is consistent with patient studies, whereas the absence of white matter abnormalities conflicts with patient data. The myriad reasons for this inconsistency require further attention to improve the translatability from mouse models of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Steventon
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.,Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.,Experimental MRI Centre, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Rebecca C Trueman
- Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Da Ma
- Centre for Medical Imaging Computing, University College London, London, UK.,Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Emma Yhnell
- Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Zubeyde Bayram-Weston
- Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Marc Modat
- Centre for Medical Imaging Computing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jorge Cardoso
- Centre for Medical Imaging Computing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sebastian Ourselin
- Centre for Medical Imaging Computing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mark Lythgoe
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Stewart
- Experimental MRI Centre, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Anne E Rosser
- Brain Repair Group, Life Science Building, 3rd Floor, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.,Institute of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Derek K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
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Albi A, Pasternak O, Minati L, Marizzoni M, Bartrés-Faz D, Bargalló N, Bosch B, Rossini PM, Marra C, Müller B, Fiedler U, Wiltfang J, Roccatagliata L, Picco A, Nobili FM, Blin O, Sein J, Ranjeva JP, Didic M, Bombois S, Lopes R, Bordet R, Gros-Dagnac H, Payoux P, Zoccatelli G, Alessandrini F, Beltramello A, Ferretti A, Caulo M, Aiello M, Cavaliere C, Soricelli A, Parnetti L, Tarducci R, Floridi P, Tsolaki M, Constantinidis M, Drevelegas A, Frisoni G, Jovicich J. Free water elimination improves test-retest reproducibility of diffusion tensor imaging indices in the brain: A longitudinal multisite study of healthy elderly subjects. Hum Brain Mapp 2016; 38:12-26. [PMID: 27519630 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Free water elimination (FWE) in brain diffusion MRI has been shown to improve tissue specificity in human white matter characterization both in health and in disease. Relative to the classical diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) model, FWE is also expected to increase sensitivity to microstructural changes in longitudinal studies. However, it is not clear if these two models differ in their test-retest reproducibility. This study compares a bi-tensor model for FWE with DTI by extending a previous longitudinal-reproducibility 3T multisite study (10 sites, 7 different scanner models) of 50 healthy elderly participants (55-80 years old) scanned in two sessions at least 1 week apart. We computed the reproducibility of commonly used DTI metrics (FA: fractional anisotropy, MD: mean diffusivity, RD: radial diffusivity, and AXD: axial diffusivity), derived either using a DTI model or a FWE model. The DTI metrics were evaluated over 48 white-matter regions of the JHU-ICBM-DTI-81 white-matter labels atlas, and reproducibility errors were assessed. We found that relative to the DTI model, FWE significantly reduced reproducibility errors in most areas tested. In particular, for the FA and MD metrics, there was an average reduction of approximately 1% in the reproducibility error. The reproducibility scores did not significantly differ across sites. This study shows that FWE improves sensitivity and is thus promising for clinical applications, with the potential to identify more subtle changes. The increased reproducibility allows for smaller sample size or shorter trials in studies evaluating biomarkers of disease progression or treatment effects. Hum Brain Mapp 38:12-26, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Albi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMEC), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Ludovico Minati
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMEC), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Moira Marizzoni
- LENITEM Laboratory of Epidemiology, Neuroimaging, & Telemedicine-IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio-FBF, Brescia, Italy
| | - David Bartrés-Faz
- Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, Universitat de Barcelona and IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Bargalló
- Department of Neuroradiology and Magnetic Resonance Image core Facility, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Beatriz Bosch
- Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínic, and IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paolo Maria Rossini
- Department Geriatrics Neuroscience & Orthopedics, Catholic University, Policlinic Gemelli, Rome, Italy.,IRCSS S.Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy
| | - Camillo Marra
- Center for Neuropsychological Research, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Bernhard Müller
- LVR-Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Institutes and Clinics of the University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ute Fiedler
- LVR-Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Institutes and Clinics of the University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jens Wiltfang
- LVR-Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Institutes and Clinics of the University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center (UMG), Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Luca Roccatagliata
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCSS San Martino University Hospital and IST, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Agnese Picco
- Department of Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Mother-Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Flavio Mariano Nobili
- Department of Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Mother-Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Oliver Blin
- Pharmacology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Aix-Marseille University-CNRS, UMR, Marseille, 7289, France
| | - Julien Sein
- CRMBM-CEMEREM, UMR 7339, Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Marseille, France
| | | | - Mira Didic
- APHM, CHU Timone, Service de Neurologie et Neuropsychologie, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille Université, Inserm, INS UMR_S 1106, Marseille, 13005, France
| | - Stephanie Bombois
- Université de Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1171-Degenerative and vascular cognitive disorders, Lille, F-59000, France
| | - Renaud Lopes
- Université de Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1171-Degenerative and vascular cognitive disorders, Lille, F-59000, France
| | - Régis Bordet
- Université de Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1171-Degenerative and vascular cognitive disorders, Lille, F-59000, France
| | - Hélène Gros-Dagnac
- INSERM, Imagerie cérébrale et handicaps neurologiques, UMR 825, Toulouse, France.,Université de Toulouse, UPS, Imagerie cérébrale et handicaps neurologiques, UMR 825, CHU Purpan, Place du Dr Baylac, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Pierre Payoux
- INSERM, Imagerie cérébrale et handicaps neurologiques, UMR 825, Toulouse, France.,Université de Toulouse, UPS, Imagerie cérébrale et handicaps neurologiques, UMR 825, CHU Purpan, Place du Dr Baylac, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | | | | | | | - Antonio Ferretti
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti, Italy.,Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti, Italy
| | - Massimo Caulo
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti, Italy.,Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrea Soricelli
- IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy.,University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Lucilla Parnetti
- Section of Neurology, Centre for Memory Disturbances, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Piero Floridi
- Neuroradiology Unit, Perugia General Hospital, Perugia, Italy
| | - Magda Tsolaki
- 3rd Department of Neurology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Antonios Drevelegas
- Interbalkan Medical Center of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Department of Radiology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Giovanni Frisoni
- LENITEM Laboratory of Epidemiology, Neuroimaging, & Telemedicine-IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio-FBF, Brescia, Italy.,Memory Clinic and LANVIE Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Aging, University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jorge Jovicich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMEC), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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Phillips OR, Joshi SH, Squitieri F, Sanchez-Castaneda C, Narr K, Shattuck DW, Caltagirone C, Sabatini U, Di Paola M. Major Superficial White Matter Abnormalities in Huntington's Disease. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:197. [PMID: 27242403 PMCID: PMC4876130 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The late myelinating superficial white matter at the juncture of the cortical gray and white matter comprising the intracortical myelin and short-range association fibers has not received attention in Huntington's disease. It is an area of the brain that is late myelinating and is sensitive to both normal aging and neurodegenerative disease effects. Therefore, it may be sensitive to Huntington's disease processes. METHODS Structural MRI data from 25 Pre-symptomatic subjects, 24 Huntington's disease patients and 49 healthy controls was run through a cortical pattern-matching program. The surface corresponding to the white matter directly below the cortical gray matter was then extracted. Individual subject's Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data was aligned to their structural MRI data. Diffusivity values along the white matter surface were then sampled at each vertex point. DTI measures with high spatial resolution across the superficial white matter surface were then analyzed with the General Linear Model to test for the effects of disease. RESULTS There was an overall increase in the axial and radial diffusivity across much of the superficial white matter (p < 0.001) in Pre-symptomatic subjects compared to controls. In Huntington's disease patients increased diffusivity covered essentially the whole brain (p < 0.001). Changes are correlated with genotype (CAG repeat number) and disease burden (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS This study showed broad abnormalities in superficial white matter even before symptoms are present in Huntington's disease. Since, the superficial white matter has a unique microstructure and function these abnormalities suggest it plays an important role in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen R. Phillips
- Morphology and Morphometry for NeuroImaging Lab, Clinical and Behavioural Neurology Department, IRCCS Fondazione Santa LuciaRome, Italy
- Neuroscience Department, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”Rome, Italy
| | - Shantanu H. Joshi
- Ahmanson Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Neurology, University of California Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ferdinando Squitieri
- IRCCS Casa Sollievo della SofferenzaSan Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
- CSS-MendelRome, Italy
- Lega Italiana Ricerca Huntington FoundationRome, Italy
| | - Cristina Sanchez-Castaneda
- Radiology Department, IRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRome, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPSBarcelona, Spain
| | - Katherine Narr
- Ahmanson Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Neurology, University of California Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David W. Shattuck
- Ahmanson Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Neurology, University of California Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlo Caltagirone
- Neuroscience Department, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”Rome, Italy
- Clinical and Behavioural Neurology Department, IRCCS Fondazione Santa LuciaRome, Italy
| | - Umberto Sabatini
- Radiology Department, IRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRome, Italy
- Neuroradiology, University of Magna GraeciaCatanzaro, Italy
| | - Margherita Di Paola
- Morphology and Morphometry for NeuroImaging Lab, Clinical and Behavioural Neurology Department, IRCCS Fondazione Santa LuciaRome, Italy
- Human Studies Department, Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta (LUMSA)Rome, Italy
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