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Ghaderi S, Fatehi F, Kalra S, Mohammadi S, Batouli SAH. Quantitative susceptibility mapping in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: automatic quantification of the magnetic susceptibility in the subcortical nuclei. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38957123 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2372648] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Objective: Previous studies have suggested a link between dysregulation of cortical iron levels and neuronal loss in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. However, few studies have reported differences in quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) values in subcortical nuclei between patients with ALS and healthy controls (HCs). Methods: MRI was performed using a 3 Tesla Prisma scanner (64-channel head coil), including 3D T1-MPRAGE and multi-echo 3D GRE for QSM reconstruction. Automated QSM segmentation was used to measure susceptibility values in the subcortical nuclei, which were compared between the groups. Correlations with clinical scales were analyzed. Group comparisons were performed using independent t-tests, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Correlations were assessed using Pearson's correlation, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Cohen's d was reported to compare the standardized mean difference (SMD) of QSM. Results: Twelve patients with limb-onset ALS (mean age 48.7 years, 75% male) and 13 age-, sex-, and handedness-matched HCs (mean age 44.6 years, 69% male) were included. Compared to HCs, ALS patients demonstrated significantly lower susceptibility in the left caudate nucleus (CN) (SMD = -0.845), right CN (SMD = -0.851), whole CN (SMD = -1.016), and left subthalamic nucleus (STN) (SMD = -1.000). Susceptibility in the left putamen (SMD = -0.857), left thalamus (SMD = -1.081), and whole thalamus (SMD = -0.968) was significantly higher in the patients. The susceptibility of the substantia nigra (SN), CN, and pulvinar was positively correlated with disease duration. Conclusions: QSM detects abnormal iron accumulation patterns in the subcortical gray matter of ALS patients, which correlates with disease characteristics, supporting its potential as a neuroimaging biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadegh Ghaderi
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Fatehi
- Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Neurology Department, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
| | - Sanjay Kalra
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, and
- Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Sana Mohammadi
- Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Amir Hossein Batouli
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Sun S, Chen Y, Zhao B, Zhu J, Wen T, Peng B, Ren Q, Sun X, Lin P, Zhang D, Liu S. Abnormal brain functional network dynamics in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with depression. Brain Imaging Behav 2024:10.1007/s11682-024-00896-5. [PMID: 38814545 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-024-00896-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Since depression is common in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, we aimed to explore the specific brain functional network dynamics in ALS patients with depression (ALS-D) compared with healthy controls (HCs) and ALS patients without depressive symptoms (ALS-ND). According to the DSM-V, 32 ALS-D patients were selected from a large and newly diagnosed ALS cohort. Then, 32 demographic- and cognitive-matched ALS-ND patients were also selected, and 64 HCs were recruited. These participants underwent resting-state fMRI scans, and functional connectivity state analysis and dynamic graph theory were applied to evaluate brain functional network dynamics. Moreover, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was used to quantify depressive symptoms in the ALS-D patients. Four distinct states were identified in the ALS-D patients and controls. Compared with that in HCs, the fraction rate (FR) in state 2 was significantly decreased in ALS-D patients, and the FR in state 4 was significantly increased in ALS-D patients. Compared with that of HCs, the dwell time in state 4 was significantly increased in the ALS-D patients. Moreover, compared with that in the ALS-D patients, the FR in state 3 was significantly decreased in the ALS-ND patients. Among the ALS-D patients, there was the suggestion of a positive association between HDRS scores and dwell time of state 4, but this association did not reach statistical significance (r = 0.354; p = 0.055). Depression is an important feature of ALS patients, and we found a special pattern of brain functional network dynamics in ALS-D patients. Our findings may play an important role in understanding the mechanism underlying depression in ALS patients and help develop therapeutic interventions for depressed ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujuan Sun
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Yujing Chen
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Bing Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jun Zhu
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Tianrui Wen
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Bingnan Peng
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Qingguo Ren
- Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Pengfei Lin
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China.
| | - Shuangwu Liu
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China.
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
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Murdaugh DL, Milner D, Cardenas CE, Heinzman KA, Cooper CA, Tabb JN, Bhatia S, McDonald AM. Volumetric brain assessment of long-term head and neck cancer survivors. Radiother Oncol 2024; 191:110068. [PMID: 38142935 PMCID: PMC10922648 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.110068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiation therapy (RT) for locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) often exposes subcortical brain structures to radiation. We performed this study to assess region-specific brain volumetrics in a population of long term HNC survivors. METHODS AND MATERIALS Forty HNC survivors were enrolled at a mean of 6.4 years from completion of RT. Patients underwent a research MRI protocol that included a 3D T1- weighted whole-brain scan on a 3 Tesla MRI scanner. Voxel based morphometry was performed using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox with the Neuromorphometrics atlas. Healthy controls from the Human Connectome Project were used as a comparison cohort. Study participants also completed a comprehensive neurocognitive assessment. RESULTS The final study cohort consisted of 38 participants after excluding 2 participants due to image quality. HNC survivors displayed widespread reduction in gray matter (GM) brain region volumes that included bilateral medial frontal cortex, temporal lobe, hippocampus, supplemental motor area, and cerebellum. Greater radiation exposure was associated with reduced GM volume in the left ventral diencephalon (r = -0.512, p = 0.003). Associations between cognition and regional GM volumes were identified for motor coordination and bilateral cerebellum (left, r = 0.444, p = 0.009; right, r = 0.372, p = 0.030), confrontation naming and left amygdala (r = 0.382, p = 0.026), verbal memory and bilateral thalamus (left, r = 0.435, p = 0.010; right, r = 0.424, p = 0.012), right amygdala (r = 0.339, p = 0.050), and right putamen (r = 0.364, p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS Reductions in GM were observed within this cohort of primarily non-nasopharyngeal HNC survivors as compared to a control sample. GM volumes were associated with performance in multiple cognitive domains. Results of this exploratory study support the need for investigation of anatomic brain changes as an important translational corollary to cognitive problems among HNC survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna L Murdaugh
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Radiation Oncology, United States; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, United States; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Pediatrics, United States
| | - Desmin Milner
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Radiology, United States
| | - Carlos E Cardenas
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Radiation Oncology, United States
| | - Katherine A Heinzman
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Radiation Oncology, United States; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, United States
| | - Courtney A Cooper
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Radiation Oncology, United States; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, United States
| | - Jazmyne N Tabb
- Brookwood Baptist Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Smita Bhatia
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, United States; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Pediatrics, United States
| | - Andrew M McDonald
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Radiation Oncology, United States; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, United States.
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Liu S, Sun X, Ren Q, Chen Y, Dai T, Yang Y, Gong G, Li W, Zhao Y, Meng X, Lin P, Yan C. Glymphatic dysfunction in patients with early-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2024; 147:100-108. [PMID: 37584389 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, an astrocytic aquaporin 4-dependent drainage system, that is, the glymphatic system, has been identified in the live murine and human brain. Growing evidence suggests that glymphatic function is impaired in patients with several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. As the third most common neurodegenerative disease, although animal studies have indicated that early glymphatic dysfunction is likely an important pathological mechanism underpinning amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), no available study has been conducted to thoroughly assess glymphatic function in vivo in ALS patients to date, particularly in patients with early-stage ALS. Thus, using diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (ALPS) index, an approximate measure of glymphatic function in vivo, we aimed to explore whether glymphatic function is impaired in patients with patients with early-stage ALS, and the diagnostic performance of the ALPS index in distinguishing between patients with early-stage ALS and healthy subjects. We also aimed to identify the relationships between glymphatic dysfunction and clinical disabilities and sleep problems in patients with early-stage ALS. In this retrospective study, King's Stage 1 ALS patients were defined as patients with early-stage ALS. We enrolled 56 patients with early-stage ALS and 32 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. All participants completed clinical screening, sleep assessment and ALPS index analysis. For the sleep assessment, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and polysomnography were used. Compared with healthy control subjects, patients with early-stage ALS had a significantly lower ALPS index after family-wise error correction (P < 0.05). Moreover, receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the area under the curve for the ALPS index was 0.792 (95% confidence interval 0.700-0.884). Partial correlation analyses showed that the ALPS index was significantly correlated with clinical disability and sleep disturbances in patients with early-stage ALS. Multivariate analysis showed that sleep efficiency (r = 0.419, P = 0.002) and periodic limb movements in sleep index (r = -0.294, P = 0.017) were significant predictive factors of the ALPS index in patients with early-stage ALS. In conclusion, our study continues to support an important role for glymphatic dysfunction in ALS pathology, and we provide additional insights into the early diagnostic value of glymphatic dysfunction and its correlation with sleep disturbances in vivo in patients with early-stage ALS. Moreover, we suggest that early improvement of glymphatic function may be a promising strategy for slowing the neurodegenerative process in ALS. Future studies are needed to explore the diagnostic and therapeutic value of glymphatic dysfunction in individuals with presymptomatic-stage neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangwu Liu
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Qingguo Ren
- Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Yujing Chen
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Tingjun Dai
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Yiru Yang
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Gaolang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning &IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Wei Li
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Yuying Zhao
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Xiangshui Meng
- Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Pengfei Lin
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Chuanzhu Yan
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266000, China
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Jellinger KA. The Spectrum of Cognitive Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Update. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14647. [PMID: 37834094 PMCID: PMC10572320 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is an important non-motor symptom in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that has a negative impact on survival and caregiver burden. It shows a wide spectrum ranging from subjective cognitive decline to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and covers various cognitive domains, mainly executive/attention, language and verbal memory deficits. The frequency of cognitive impairment across the different ALS phenotypes ranges from 30% to 75%, with up to 45% fulfilling the criteria of FTD. Significant genetic, clinical, and pathological heterogeneity reflects deficits in various cognitive domains. Modern neuroimaging studies revealed frontotemporal degeneration and widespread involvement of limbic and white matter systems, with hypometabolism of the relevant areas. Morphological substrates are frontotemporal and hippocampal atrophy with synaptic loss, associated with TDP-43 and other co-pathologies, including tau deposition. Widespread functional disruptions of motor and extramotor networks, as well as of frontoparietal, frontostriatal and other connectivities, are markers for cognitive deficits in ALS. Cognitive reserve may moderate the effect of brain damage but is not protective against cognitive decline. The natural history of cognitive dysfunction in ALS and its relationship to FTD are not fully understood, although there is an overlap between the ALS variants and ALS-related frontotemporal syndromes, suggesting a differential vulnerability of motor and non-motor networks. An assessment of risks or the early detection of brain connectivity signatures before structural changes may be helpful in investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms of cognitive impairment in ALS, which might even serve as novel targets for effective disease-modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt A Jellinger
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Alberichgasse 5/13, A-1150 Vienna, Austria
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