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Lancione M, Cencini M, Scaffei E, Cipriano E, Buonincontri G, Schulte RF, Pirkl CM, Buchignani B, Pasquariello R, Canapicchi R, Battini R, Biagi L, Tosetti M. Magnetic resonance fingerprinting-based myelin water fraction mapping for the assessment of white matter maturation and integrity in typical development and leukodystrophies. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2024; 37:e5114. [PMID: 38390667 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
A quantitative biomarker for myelination, such as myelin water fraction (MWF), would boost the understanding of normative and pathological neurodevelopment, improving patients' diagnosis and follow-up. We quantified the fraction of a rapidly relaxing pool identified as MW using multicomponent three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) to evaluate white matter (WM) maturation in typically developing (TD) children and alterations in leukodystrophies (LDs). We acquired DTI and 3D MRF-based R1, R2 and MWF data of 15 TD children and 17 LD patients (9 months-12.5 years old) at 1.5 T. We computed normative maturation curves in corpus callosum and corona radiata and performed WM tract profile analysis, comparing MWF with R1, R2 and fractional anisotropy (FA). Normative maturation curves demonstrated a steep increase for all tissue parameters in the first 3 years of age, followed by slower growth for MWF while R1, R2R2 and FA reached a plateau. Unlike FA, MWF values were similar for regions of interest (ROIs) with different degrees of axonal packing, suggesting independence from fiber bundle macro-organization and higher myelin specificity. Tract profile analysis indicated a specific spatial pattern of myelination in the major fiber bundles, consistent across subjects. LD were better distinguished from TD by MWF rather than FA, showing reduced MWF with respect to age-matched controls in both ROI-based and tract analysis. In conclusion, MRF-based MWF provides myelin-specific WM maturation curves and is sensitive to alteration due to LDs, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for WM disorders. As MRF allows fast simultaneous acquisition of relaxometry and MWF, it can represent a valuable diagnostic tool to study and follow up developmental WM disorders in children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matteo Cencini
- Pisa Division, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Emilio Cipriano
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Roberta Battini
- IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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2
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Cai J, Kim JL, Wang Y, Baumeister TR, Zhu M, Liu A, Lee S, McKeown MJ. Sex, myelin, and clinical characteristics of Parkinson's disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1235524. [PMID: 37781247 PMCID: PMC10535348 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1235524] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine if there are sex differences in myelin in Parkinson's disease, and whether these explain some of the previously-described sex differences in clinical presentation. Methods Thirty-three subjects (23 males, 10 females) with Parkinson's disease underwent myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging, an MRI scanning technique of in vivo myelin content. MWF of 20 white matter regions of interest (ROIs) were assessed. Motor symptoms were assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Principal component analysis, logistic and multiple linear regressions, and t-tests were used to determine which white matter ROIs differed between sexes, the clinical features associated with these myelin changes, and if overall MWF and MWF laterality differed between males and females. Results Consistent with prior reports, tremor and bradykinesia were more likely seen in females, whereas rigidity and axial symptoms were more likely seen in males in our cohort. MWF of the thalamic radiation, cingulum, cingulum hippocampus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi, inferior longitudinal fasciculi, and uncinate were significant in predicting sex. Overall MWF and asymmetry of MWF was greater in males. MWF differences between sexes were associated with tremor symptomatology and asymmetry of motor performance. Conclusion Sex differences in myelin are associated with tremor and asymmetry of motor presentation. While preliminary, our results suggest that further investigation of the role of biological sex in myelin pathology and clinical presentation in Parkinson's disease is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Cai
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jowon L. Kim
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yuheng Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tobias R. Baumeister
- School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Maria Zhu
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Aiping Liu
- Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Soojin Lee
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Martin J. McKeown
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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3
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Morris SR, Vavasour IM, Smolina A, MacMillan EL, Gilbert G, Lam M, Kozlowski P, Michal CA, Manning A, MacKay AL, Laule C. Myelin biomarkers in the healthy adult brain: Correlation, reproducibility, and the effect of fiber orientation. Magn Reson Med 2023; 89:1809-1824. [PMID: 36511247 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We investigated the correlation, reproducibility, and effect of white matter fiber orientation for three myelin-sensitive MRI techniques: magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), inhomogeneous magnetization transfer ratio (ihMTR), and gradient and spin echo-derived myelin water fraction (MWF). METHODS We measured the three metrics in 17 white and three deep grey matter regions in 17 healthy adults at 3 T. RESULTS We found a strong correlation between ihMTR and MTR (r = 0.70, p < 0.001) and ihMTR and MWF (r = 0.79, p < 0.001), and a weaker correlation between MTR and MWF (r = 0.54, p < 0.001). The dynamic range in white matter was greatest for MWF (2.0%-27.5%), followed by MTR (14.4%-23.2%) and then ihMTR (1.2%-5.4%). The average scan-rescan coefficient of variation for white matter regions was 0.6% MTR, 0.3% ihMTR, and 0.7% MWF in metric units; however, when adjusted by the dynamic range, these became 6.3%, 6.1% and 2.8%, respectively. All three metrics varied with fiber direction: MWF and ihMTR were lower in white matter fibers perpendicular to B0 by 6% and 1%, respectively, compared with those parallel, whereas MTR was lower by 0.5% at about 40°, with the highest values at 90°. However, separating the apparent orientation dependence by white matter region revealed large dissimilarities in the trends, suggesting that real differences in myelination between regions are confounding the apparent orientation dependence measured using this method. CONCLUSION The strong correlation between ihMTR and MWF suggests that these techniques are measuring the same myelination; however, the larger dynamic range of MWF may provide more power to detect small differences in myelin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Morris
- Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Irene M Vavasour
- Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anastasia Smolina
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin L MacMillan
- Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,MR Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Guillaume Gilbert
- MR Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michelle Lam
- Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Piotr Kozlowski
- Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Carl A Michal
- Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alan Manning
- Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alex L MacKay
- Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cornelia Laule
- Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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4
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Paquola C, Hong SJ. The Potential of Myelin-Sensitive Imaging: Redefining Spatiotemporal Patterns of Myeloarchitecture. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:442-454. [PMID: 36481065 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have paved the way for approximation of myelin content in vivo. In this review, our main goal was to determine how to best capitalize on myelin-sensitive imaging. First, we briefly overview the theoretical and empirical basis for the myelin sensitivity of different MRI markers and, in doing so, highlight how multimodal imaging approaches are important for enhancing specificity to myelin. Then, we discuss recent studies that have probed the nonuniform distribution of myelin across cortical layers and along white matter tracts. These approaches, collectively known as myelin profiling, have provided detailed depictions of myeloarchitecture in both the postmortem and living human brain. Notably, MRI-based profiling studies have recently focused on investigating whether it can capture interindividual variability in myelin characteristics as well as trajectories across the lifespan. Finally, another line of recent evidence emphasizes the contribution of region-specific myelination to large-scale organization, demonstrating the impact of myelination on global brain networks. In conclusion, we suggest that combining well-validated MRI markers with profiling techniques holds strong potential to elucidate individual differences in myeloarchitecture, which has important implications for understanding brain function and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey Paquola
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Seok-Jun Hong
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea; Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, New York; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
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5
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Kirby ED, Frizzell TO, Grajauskas LA, Song X, Gawryluk JR, Lakhani B, Boyd L, D'Arcy RCN. Increased myelination plays a central role in white matter neuroplasticity. Neuroimage 2022; 263:119644. [PMID: 36170952 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
White matter (WM) neuroplasticity in the human brain has been tracked non-invasively using advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques, with increasing evidence for improved axonal transmission efficiency as a central mechanism. The current study is the culmination of a series of studies, which characterized the structure-function relationship of WM transmission efficiency in the cortico-spinal tract (CST) during motor learning. Here, we test the hypothesis that increased transmission efficiency is linked directly to increased myelination using myelin water imaging (MWI). MWI was used to evaluate neuroplasticity-related improvements in the CST. The MWI findings were then compared to diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) results, with the secondary hypothesis that radial diffusivity (RD) would have a stronger relationship than axial diffusivity (AD) if the changes were due to increased myelination. Both MWI and RD data showed the predicted pattern of significant results, strongly supporting that increased myelination plays a central role in WM neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Kirby
- BrainNET, Health and Technology District, Vancouver, Canada; Faculty of Individualized Interdisciplinary Studies, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Tory O Frizzell
- BrainNET, Health and Technology District, Vancouver, Canada; Faculty of Applied Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Lukas A Grajauskas
- Department of Biomedical, Physiology, and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Xiaowei Song
- Department of Biomedical, Physiology, and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada; Department of Research and Evaluation Services and Surrey Memorial Hospital, Fraser Health Authority, Surrey, Canada
| | - Jodie R Gawryluk
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Bimal Lakhani
- BrainNET, Health and Technology District, Vancouver, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Lara Boyd
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Ryan C N D'Arcy
- BrainNET, Health and Technology District, Vancouver, Canada; Faculty of Applied Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada; Department of Research and Evaluation Services and Surrey Memorial Hospital, Fraser Health Authority, Surrey, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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6
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Schiavi S, Lu PJ, Weigel M, Lutti A, Jones DK, Kappos L, Granziera C, Daducci A. Bundle myelin fraction (BMF) mapping of different white matter connections using microstructure informed tractography. Neuroimage 2022; 249:118922. [PMID: 35063648 PMCID: PMC7615247 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.118922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, we have scarce information about the relative myelination level of different fiber bundles in the human brain. Indirect evidence comes from postmortem histology data but histological stainings are unable to follow a specific bundle and determine its intrinsic myelination. In this context, quantitative MRI, and diffusion MRI tractography may offer a viable solution by providing, respectively, voxel-wise myelin sensitive maps and the pathways of the major tracts of the brain. Then, "tractometry" can be used to combine these two pieces of information by averaging tissue features (obtained from any voxel-wise map) along the streamlines recovered with diffusion tractography. Although this method has been widely used in the literature, in cases of voxels containing multiple fiber populations (each with different levels of myelination), tractometry provides biased results because the same value will be attributed to any bundle passing through the voxel. To overcome this bias, we propose a new method - named "myelin streamline decomposition" (MySD) - which extends convex optimization modeling for microstructure informed tractography (COMMIT) allowing the actual value measured by a microstructural map to be deconvolved on each individual streamline, thereby recovering unique bundle-specific myelin fractions (BMFs). We demonstrate the advantage of our method with respect to tractometry in well-studied bundles and compare the cortical projection of the obtained bundle-wise myelin values of both methods. We also prove the stability of our approach across different subjects and different MRI sensitive myelin mapping approaches. This work provides a proof-of-concept of in vivo investigations of entire neuronal pathways that, to date, are not possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Schiavi
- Department of Computer Science, University of Verona, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Italy.
| | - Po-Jui Lu
- Departments of Medicine, Clinical Research and Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Translational Imaging in Neurology (ThINk) Basel, Department of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Weigel
- Departments of Medicine, Clinical Research and Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Translational Imaging in Neurology (ThINk) Basel, Department of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Radiological Physics, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Lutti
- Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Derek K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, United Kingdom; Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, United Kingdom
| | - Ludwig Kappos
- Departments of Medicine, Clinical Research and Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Translational Imaging in Neurology (ThINk) Basel, Department of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cristina Granziera
- Departments of Medicine, Clinical Research and Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Translational Imaging in Neurology (ThINk) Basel, Department of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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7
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Beaulieu C, Yip E, Low PB, Mädler B, Lebel CA, Siegel L, Mackay AL, Laule C. Myelin Water Imaging Demonstrates Lower Brain Myelination in Children and Adolescents With Poor Reading Ability. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:568395. [PMID: 33192398 PMCID: PMC7596275 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.568395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a means to non-invasively investigate the neurological links with dyslexia, a learning disability that affects one’s ability to read. Most previous brain MRI studies of dyslexia and reading skill have used structural or diffusion imaging to reveal regional brain abnormalities. However, volumetric and diffusion MRI lack specificity in their interpretation at the microstructural level. Myelin is a critical neural component for brain function and plasticity, and as such, deficits in myelin may impact reading ability. MRI can estimate myelin using myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging, which is based on evaluation of the proportion of short T2 myelin-associated water from multi-exponential T2 relaxation analysis, but has not yet been applied to the study of reading or dyslexia. In this study, MWF MRI, intelligence, and reading assessments were acquired in 20 participants aged 10–18 years with a wide range of reading ability to investigate the relationship between reading ability and myelination. Group comparisons showed markedly lower MWF by 16–69% in poor readers relative to good readers in the left and right thalamus, as well as the left posterior limb of the internal capsule, left/right anterior limb of the internal capsule, left/right centrum semiovale, and splenium of the corpus callosum. MWF over the entire group also correlated positively with three different reading scores in the bilateral thalamus as well as white matter, including the splenium of the corpus callosum, left posterior limb of the internal capsule, left anterior limb of the internal capsule, and left centrum semiovale. MWF imaging from T2 relaxation suggests that myelination, particularly in the bilateral thalamus, splenium, and left hemisphere white matter, plays a role in reading abilities. Myelin water imaging thus provides a potentially valuable in vivo imaging tool for the study of dyslexia and its remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Beaulieu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Eugene Yip
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Pauline B Low
- Department of Education and Counseling Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Linda Siegel
- Department of Education and Counseling Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alex L Mackay
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cornelia Laule
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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8
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Drenthen GS, Fonseca Wald ELA, Backes WH, Aldenkamp AP, Vermeulen RJ, Debeij-van Hall MHJA, Klinkenberg S, Jansen JFA. Constructing an Axonal-Specific Myelin Developmental Graph and its Application to Childhood Absence Epilepsy. J Neuroimaging 2020; 30:308-314. [PMID: 32255537 PMCID: PMC7317939 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The process of myelination starts in utero around 20 weeks of gestation and continues through adulthood. We first set out to characterize the maturation of the tract-specific myelin content in healthy subjects from childhood (7-12 years) into adulthood (18-32 years). Second, we apply the resulting development graph to children with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), a pediatric epilepsy that was previously characterized by changes in myelin content. METHODS In a prospective cross-sectional study, 15 healthy children (7-12 years), 14 healthy adult participants (18-32 years) and 17 children with a clinical diagnosis of CAE (6-12 years) were included. For each participant, diffusion weighted images were acquired to reconstruct bundles of white matter tracts and multi-echo multi-slice GRASE images were acquired for myelin-water estimation. Subsequently, a tract-specific myelin development graph was constructed using the percentual difference in myelin-water content from childhood (12 year) to adulthood (25 year). RESULTS The graph revealed myelination patterns, where tracts in the central regions myelinate prior to peripheral tracts and intra-hemispheric tracts as well as tracts in the left hemisphere myelinate prior to inter-hemispheric tracts and tracts in the right hemisphere, respectively. No significant differences were found in myelin-water content between children with CAE and healthy children for neither the early developing tracts, nor the tracts that develop in a later stage. However, the difference between the myelin-water of late and early developing tracts is significantly smaller in the children with CAE. CONCLUSION These results indicate that CAE is associated with widespread neurodevelopmental myelin differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard S Drenthen
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, De Rondom 70, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Eric L A Fonseca Wald
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Behavioral Sciences, Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Sterkselseweg 65, Heeze, The Netherlands
| | - Walter H Backes
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert P Aldenkamp
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, De Rondom 70, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.,Department of Behavioral Sciences, Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Sterkselseweg 65, Heeze, The Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Vermeulen
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sylvia Klinkenberg
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jacobus F A Jansen
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, De Rondom 70, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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