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Habibi SAH, Aghavali S, Azad Z, Amini E, Falah M, Gholibeigian Z, Yazdi N, Emamikhah M, Rohani M. Transcranial sonography in neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation disorders. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2024; 236:108074. [PMID: 38091703 DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.108074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial Sonography is a non-invasive technique that has been used as a diagnostic tool for a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. However, the utility and potential application of this technique in NBIA disorders is scarce and inconclusive. METHODS In this cross-sectional retrospective case-control study, the echogenicity of Substantia Nigra (SN), Lentiform Nucleus (LN), and Diameter of the Third Ventricle (DTV) were assessed by TCS in genetically confirmed NBIA patients referring to the movement disorder clinic. The normal echogenicity area of SN was defined based on the 90th percentile of an age-and-gender-matched control group. NBIA patients underwent neurologic examination at each visit, but their brain magnetic resonance imaging and demographics were extracted from electronic records. RESULTS Thirty-five NBIA patients of four subtypes with a mean disease duration of 10.54 years and 35 controls were enrolled. The normally defined SN echogenicity in controls was 0.23 cm2. DTV and SN echogenicity areas were significantly higher in patients compared to the controls (P = 0.002 and < 0.001, respectively). Around 85% and 63% of the patients showed LN and SN hyperechogenicity at least on one side, respectively. Disease duration was positively correlated with DTV (r = 0.422, p = 0.015). Cases with Pantothenate Kinase Associated Neurodegeneration (n = 23) also had significantly higher DTV and SN echogenicity area compared to the controls. CONCLUSION Despite most NBIA patients displayed increased DVT and higher SN and LN hyperechogenicity than healthy controls, the discriminatory role of TCS on different NBIA subtypes remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Amir Hassan Habibi
- Department of Neurology, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Sharmin Aghavali
- Department of Neurology, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Zahra Azad
- Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran.
| | - Elahe Amini
- Department of Neurology, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran; Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Falah
- ENT and Head and Neck Research Center and Department, Rasoul Akram Hospital, The Five Senses Health Institute, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Zeinab Gholibeigian
- Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Narges Yazdi
- Department of Neurology, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Maziar Emamikhah
- Department of Neurology, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rohani
- Department of Neurology, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran; Skull Base Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Rasoul Akram Hospital, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The diagnosis of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) typically associates various extrapyramidal and pyramidal features, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms with bilateral hypointensities in the globus pallidus on iron-sensitive magnetic resonance images, reflecting the alteration of iron homeostasis in this area. This article details the contribution of MRI in the diagnosis by summarizing and comparing MRI patterns of the various NBIA subtypes. RECENT FINDINGS MRI almost always shows characteristic changes combining iron accumulation and additional neuroimaging abnormalities. Iron-sensitive MRI shows iron deposition in the basal ganglia, particularly in bilateral globus pallidus and substantia nigra. Other regions may be affected depending on the NBIA subtypes including the cerebellum and dentate nucleus, the midbrain, the striatum, the thalamus, and the cortex. Atrophy of the cerebellum, brainstem, corpus callosum and cortex, and white matter changes may be associated and worsen with disease duration. Iron deposition can be quantified using R2 or quantitative susceptibility mapping. SUMMARY Recent MRI advances allow depicting differences between the various subtypes of NBIA, providing a useful analytical framework for clinicians. Standardization of protocols for image acquisition and analysis may help improving the detection of imaging changes associated with NBIA and the quantification of iron deposition.
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Skowronska M, Litwin T, Kurkowska-Jastrzębska I, Członkowska A. Transcranial sonography changes in heterozygotic carriers of the ATP7B gene. Neurol Sci 2020; 41:2605-2612. [PMID: 32270360 PMCID: PMC7419484 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04378-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of ATP7B gene leading to impaired copper metabolism. Brain imaging, such as magnetic resonance (MR) and transcranial sonography (TCS) in WD patients, shows changes mostly in the basal ganglia. Heterozygotic carriers of one faulty ATP7B gene should not exhibit symptoms of WD, but one in three heterozygotes has copper metabolism abnormalities. This study examined heterozygote ATP7B mutation carriers using TCS to assess any basal ganglia changes compared with healthy controls. METHODS Heterozygote carriers and healthy volunteers underwent the same standard MR and TCS imaging protocols. Heterozygotes were followed for 5 years and monitored for the development of neurological symptoms. RESULTS The study assessed 34 heterozygotes (21 women), with mean age of 43 years (range of 18 to 74 years) and 18 healthy controls (13 women), with mean age of 47 years (range of 20 to 73 years). Bilateral lenticular nucleus (LN) hyperechogenicity was found in 25 heterozygotes, but none of the controls (p < 0.001). Bilateral substantia nigra (SN) hyperechogenicity was found in 8 heterozygotes and one control; another 3 heterozygotes had unilateral SN hyperechogenicity (p = 0.039 for the right; p = 0.176 for the left). Heterozygotes had larger SN area on both sides compared with controls (p = 0.005 right; p = 0.008 left). CONCLUSIONS SN and LN hyperechogenicity were more frequent in heterozygotes than in controls, probably due to copper accumulation, but it remains unknown if this predisposes to brain neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Skowronska
- 2nd Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Litwin
- 2nd Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Anna Członkowska
- 2nd Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland.,Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation Disorders: Valuable Models Aimed at Understanding the Pathogenesis of Iron Deposition. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 12:ph12010027. [PMID: 30744104 PMCID: PMC6469182 DOI: 10.3390/ph12010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) is a set of neurodegenerative disorders, which includes very rare monogenetic diseases. They are heterogeneous in regard to the onset and the clinical symptoms, while the have in common a specific brain iron deposition in the region of the basal ganglia that can be visualized by radiological and histopathological examinations. Nowadays, 15 genes have been identified as causative for NBIA, of which only two code for iron-proteins, while all the other causative genes codify for proteins not involved in iron management. Thus, how iron participates to the pathogenetic mechanism of most NBIA remains unclear, essentially for the lack of experimental models that fully recapitulate the human phenotype. In this review we reported the recent data on new models of these disorders aimed at highlight the still scarce knowledge of the pathogenesis of iron deposition.
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Di Meo I, Tiranti V. Classification and molecular pathogenesis of NBIA syndromes. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2018; 22:272-284. [PMID: 29409688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Brain iron accumulation is the hallmark of a group of seriously invalidating and progressive rare diseases collectively denominated Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA), characterized by movement disorder, painful dystonia, parkinsonism, mental disability and early death. Currently there is no established therapy available to slow down or reverse the progression of these conditions. Several genes have been identified as responsible for NBIA but only two encode for proteins playing a direct role in iron metabolism. The other genes encode for proteins either with various functions in lipid metabolism, lysosomal activity and autophagic processes or with still unknown roles. The different NBIA subtypes have been classified and denominated on the basis of the mutated genes and, despite genetic heterogeneity, some of them code for proteins, which share or converge on common metabolic pathways. In the last ten years, the implementation of genetic screening based on Whole Exome Sequencing has greatly accelerated gene discovery, nevertheless our knowledge of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the NBIA syndromes is still largely incomplete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivano Di Meo
- Unit of Molecular Neurogenetics, Pierfranco and Luisa Mariani Centre for the Study of Mitochondrial Disorders in Children, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute C. Besta, Via Temolo 4, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Tiranti
- Unit of Molecular Neurogenetics, Pierfranco and Luisa Mariani Centre for the Study of Mitochondrial Disorders in Children, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute C. Besta, Via Temolo 4, 20126, Milan, Italy.
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