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Nigri A, Stanziano M, Fedeli D, Manera U, Ferraro S, Medina Carrion JP, Palermo S, Lequio L, Denegri F, Agosta F, Spinelli EG, Filippi M, Grisoli M, Valentini MC, De Mattei F, Canosa A, Calvo A, Chiò A, Bruzzone MG, Moglia C. Distinct neural signatures of pulvinar in C9orf72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutation carriers and noncarriers. Eur J Neurol 2024; 31:e16266. [PMID: 38469975 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Thalamic alterations have been reported as a major feature in presymptomatic and symptomatic patients carrying the C9orf72 mutation across the frontotemporal dementia-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) spectrum. Specifically, the pulvinar, a high-order thalamic nucleus and timekeeper for large-scale cortical networks, has been hypothesized to be involved in C9orf72-related neurodegenerative diseases. We investigated whether pulvinar volume can be useful for differential diagnosis in ALS C9orf72 mutation carriers and noncarriers and how underlying functional connectivity changes affect this region. METHODS We studied 19 ALS C9orf72 mutation carriers (ALSC9+) accurately matched with wild-type ALS (ALSC9-) and ALS mimic (ALSmimic) patients using structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Pulvinar volume was computed using automatic segmentation. Seed-to-voxel functional connectivity analyses were performed using seeds from a pulvinar functional parcellation. RESULTS Pulvinar structural integrity had high discriminative values for ALSC9+ patients compared to ALSmimic (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.86) and ALSC9- (AUC = 0.77) patients, yielding a volume cutpoint of approximately 0.23%. Compared to ALSmimic, ALSC9- showed increased anterior, inferior, and lateral pulvinar connections with bilateral occipital-temporal-parietal regions, whereas ALSC9+ showed no differences. ALSC9+ patients when compared to ALSC9- patients showed reduced pulvinar-occipital connectivity for anterior and inferior pulvinar seeds. CONCLUSIONS Pulvinar volume could be a differential biomarker closely related to the C9orf72 mutation. A pulvinar-cortical circuit dysfunction might play a critical role in disease progression and development, in both the genetic phenotype and ALS wild-type patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nigri
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Stanziano
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Stefania Ferraro
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | | | - Sara Palermo
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Lequio
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Denegri
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Edoardo Gioele Spinelli
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurophysiology Service, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marina Grisoli
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Consuelo Valentini
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Filippo De Mattei
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Council of Research, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Bruzzone
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
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Ferraro S, Nigri A, Bruzzone MG, Medina Carrion JP, Fedeli D, Demichelis G, Chiapparini L, Ciullo G, Gonzalez AA, Proietti Cecchini A, Giani L, Becker B, Leone M. Involvement of the ipsilateral-to-the-pain anterior-superior hypothalamic subunit in chronic cluster headache. J Headache Pain 2024; 25:7. [PMID: 38212704 PMCID: PMC10782620 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-023-01711-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite hypothalamus has long being considered to be involved in the pathophysiology of cluster headache, the inconsistencies of previous neuroimaging studies and a limited understanding of the hypothalamic areas involved, impede a comprehensive interpretation of its involvement in this condition. METHODS We used an automated algorithm to extract hypothalamic subunit volumes from 105 cluster headache patients (57 chronic and 48 episodic) and 59 healthy individuals; after correcting the measures for the respective intracranial volumes, we performed the relevant comparisons employing logist regression models. Only for subunits that emerged as abnormal, we calculated their correlation with the years of illness and the number of headache attacks per day, and the effects of lithium treatment. As a post-hoc approach, using the 7 T resting-state fMRI dataset from the Human Connectome Project, we investigated whether the observed abnormal subunit, comprising the paraventricular nucleus and preoptic area, shows robust functional connectivity with the mesocorticolimbic system, which is known to be modulated by oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus and that is is abnormal in chronic cluster headache patients. RESULTS Patients with chronic (but not episodic) cluster headache, compared to control participants, present an increased volume of the anterior-superior hypothalamic subunit ipsilateral to the pain, which, remarkably, also correlates significantly with the number of daily attacks. The post-hoc approach showed that this hypothalamic area presents robust functional connectivity with the mesocorticolimbic system under physiological conditions. No evidence of the effects of lithium treatment on this abnormal subunit was found. CONCLUSIONS We identified the ipsilateral-to-the-pain antero-superior subunit, where the paraventricular nucleus and preoptic area are located, as the key hypothalamic region of the pathophysiology of chronic cluster headache. The significant correlation between the volume of this area and the number of daily attacks crucially reinforces this interpretation. The well-known roles of the paraventricular nucleus in coordinating autonomic and neuroendocrine flow in stress adaptation and modulation of trigeminovascular mechanisms offer important insights into the understanding of the pathophysiology of cluster headache.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Ferraro
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Nigri
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy.
| | - Maria Grazia Bruzzone
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Jean Paul Medina Carrion
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Greta Demichelis
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Luisa Chiapparini
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
- Radiology Unit, Fodazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ciullo
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ariosky Areces Gonzalez
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca", Pinar del Río, Cuba
| | | | - Luca Giani
- Department of Neurology, Fondazione Maugeri, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Benjamin Becker
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Massimo Leone
- Department of Neuroalgology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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3
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Nigri A, Umberto M, Stanziano M, Ferraro S, Fedeli D, Medina Carrion JP, Palermo S, Lequio L, Denegri F, Agosta F, Filippi M, Valentini MC, Canosa A, Calvo A, Chiò A, Bruzzone MG, Moglia C. C9orf72 ALS mutation carriers show extensive cortical and subcortical damage compared to matched wild-type ALS patients. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 38:103400. [PMID: 37068310 PMCID: PMC10130353 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE C9orf72 mutation carriers with different neurological phenotypes show cortical and subcortical atrophy in multiple different brain regions, even in pre-symptomatic phases. Despite there is a substantial amount of knowledge, small sample sizes, clinical heterogeneity, as well as different choices of image analysis may hide anatomical abnormalities that are unique to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with this genotype or that are indicative of the C9orf72-specific trait overlain in fronto-temporal dementia patients. METHODS Brain structural and resting state functional magnetic imaging was obtained in 24 C9orf72 positive (ALSC9+) ALS patients paired for burden disease with 24 C9orf72 negative (ALSC9-) ALS patients. A comprehensive structural evaluation of cortical thickness and subcortical volumes between ALSC9+ and ALSC9- patients was performed while a region of interest (ROI)-ROI analysis of functional connectivity was implemented to assess functional alterations among abnormal cortical and subcortical regions. Results were corrected for multiple comparisons. RESULTS Compared to ALSC9- patients, ALSC9+ patients exhibited extensive disease-specific patterns of thalamo-cortico-striatal atrophy, supported by functional alterations of the identified abnormal regions. Cortical thinning was most pronounced in posterior areas and extended to frontal regions. Bilateral atrophy of the mediodorsal and pulvinar nuclei was observed, emphasizing a focal rather than global thalamus atrophy. Volume loss in a large portion of bilateral caudate and left putamen was reported. The marked reduction of functional connectivity observed between the left posterior thalamus and almost all the atrophic cortical regions support the central role of the thalamus in the pathogenic mechanism of C9orf72-mediated disease. CONCLUSIONS These findings constitute a coherent and robust picture of ALS patients with C9orf72-mediated disease, unveiling a specific structural and functional characterization of thalamo-cortico-striatal circuit alteration. Our study introduces new evidence in the characterization of the pathogenic mechanisms of C9orf72 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nigri
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Manera Umberto
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Mario Stanziano
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Stefania Ferraro
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Sara Palermo
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Lequio
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Italy
| | - Federica Denegri
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Italy
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Italy; Neurology Unit, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Italy; Neurology Unit, Italy; Neurorehabilitation Unit, Italy; Neurophysiology Service, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Council of Research, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Council of Research, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Bruzzone
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
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4
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Medina Carrion JP, Stanziano M, D'Incerti L, Sattin D, Palermo S, Ferraro S, Sebastiano DR, Leonardi M, Bruzzone MG, Rosazza C, Nigri A. Disorder of consciousness: Structural integrity of brain networks for the clinical assessment. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:384-396. [PMID: 36638220 PMCID: PMC10014003 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM When studying brain networks in patients with Disorders of Consciousness (DoC), it is important to evaluate the structural integrity of networks in addition to their functional activity. Here, we investigated whether structural MRI, together with clinical variables, can be useful for diagnostic purposes and whether a quantitative analysis is feasible in a group of chronic DoC patients. METHODS We studied 109 chronic patients with DoC and emerged from DoC with structural MRI: 65 in vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness state (VS/UWS), 34 in minimally conscious state (MCS), and 10 with severe disability. MRI data were analyzed through qualitative and quantitative approaches. RESULTS The qualitative MRI analysis outperformed the quantitative one, which resulted to be hardly feasible in chronic DoC patients. The results of the qualitative approach showed that the structural integrity of HighOrder networks, altogether, had better diagnostic accuracy than LowOrder networks, particularly when the model included clinical variables (AUC = 0.83). Diagnostic differences between VS/UWS and MCS were stronger in anoxic etiology than vascular and traumatic etiology. MRI data of all LowOrder and HighOrder networks correlated with the clinical score. The integrity of the left hemisphere was associated with a better clinical status. CONCLUSIONS Structural integrity of brain networks is sensitive to clinical severity. When patients are chronic, the qualitative analysis of MRI data is indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Paul Medina Carrion
- Diagnostic and Technology Department, Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Stanziano
- Diagnostic and Technology Department, Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.,Neurosciences Department "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Ludovico D'Incerti
- Diagnostic and Technology Department, Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.,Radiology Unit, Children's Hospital A. Meyer-University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Davide Sattin
- IRCCS Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Palermo
- Diagnostic and Technology Department, Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Stefania Ferraro
- Diagnostic and Technology Department, Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.,School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Davide Rossi Sebastiano
- Department of Neurophysiology and Diagnostic, Epileptology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Matilde Leonardi
- Neurology, Public Health, Disability Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta
| | - Maria Grazia Bruzzone
- Diagnostic and Technology Department, Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Rosazza
- Diagnostic and Technology Department, Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.,Department of Humanistic Studies, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Anna Nigri
- Diagnostic and Technology Department, Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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5
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Nigri A, Dalla Bella E, Ferraro S, Medina Carrion JP, Demichelis G, Bersano E, Consonni M, Bischof A, Stanziano M, Palermo S, Lauria G, Bruzzone MG, Papinutto N. Cervical spinal cord atrophy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis across disease stages. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:213-224. [PMID: 36599092 PMCID: PMC9930423 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Spinal cord degeneration is a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The assessment of gray matter and white matter cervical spinal cord atrophy across clinical stages defined using the King's staging system could advance the understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progression. METHODS We assessed the in vivo spatial pattern of gray and white matter atrophy along cervical spinal cord (C2 to C6 segments) using 2D phase-sensitive inversion recovery imaging in a cohort of 44 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients, evaluating its change across the King's stages and the correlation with disability scored by the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale revised (ALSFRS-R) and disease duration. A mathematical model inferring the potential onset of cervical gray matter atrophy was developed. RESULTS In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients at King's stage 1, significant cervical spinal cord alterations were mainly identified in gray matter, whereas they involved both gray and white matter in patients at King's stage ≥ 2. Gray and white matter areas correlated with clinical disability at all cervical segments. C3-C4 level was the segment showing early gray matter atrophy starting about 7 to 20 months before symptom onset according to our model. INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest that cervical spinal cord atrophy spreads from gray to white matter across King's stages in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, making spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging an in vivo assessment tool to measure the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nigri
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Eleonora Dalla Bella
- 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease CentreFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Stefania Ferraro
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly,School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for NeuroinformationUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | | | - Greta Demichelis
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Enrica Bersano
- 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease CentreFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly,Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational MedicineUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Monica Consonni
- 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease CentreFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Antje Bischof
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of NeurologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA,Department of Neurology with Institute for Translational NeurologyUniversity Hospital MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Mario Stanziano
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly,ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
| | - Sara Palermo
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Giuseppe Lauria
- 3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease CentreFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly,Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational MedicineUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | | | - Nico Papinutto
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of NeurologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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