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Cocozza S, Bosticardo S, Battocchio M, Corben L, Delatycki M, Egan G, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Monti S, Palma G, Pane C, Saccà F, Schiavi S, Selvadurai L, Tranfa M, Daducci A, Brunetti A, Harding IH. Gradient of microstructural damage along the dentato-thalamo-cortical tract in Friedreich ataxia. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024; 11:1691-1702. [PMID: 38952134 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.52048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The dentato-thalamo-cortical tract (DTT) is the main cerebellar efferent pathway. Degeneration of the DTT is a core feature of Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). However, it remains unclear whether DTT disruption is spatially specific, with some segments being more impacted than others. This study aimed to investigate microstructural integrity along the DTT in FRDA using a profilometry diffusion MRI (dMRI) approach. METHODS MRI data from 45 individuals with FRDA (mean age: 33.2 ± 13.2, Male/Female: 26/19) and 37 healthy controls (mean age: 36.5 ± 12.7, Male/Female:18/19) were included in this cross-sectional multicenter study. A profilometry analysis was performed on dMRI data by first using tractography to define the DTT as the white matter pathway connecting the dentate nucleus to the contralateral motor cortex. The tract was then divided into 100 segments, and dMRI metrics of microstructural integrity (fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity) at each segment were compared between groups. The process was replicated on the arcuate fasciculus for comparison. RESULTS Across all diffusion metrics, the region of the DTT connecting the dentate nucleus and thalamus was more impacted in FRDA than downstream cerebral sections from the thalamus to the cortex. The arcuate fasciculus was minimally impacted. INTERPRETATION Our study further expands the current knowledge about brain involvement in FRDA, showing that microstructural abnormalities within the DTT are weighted to early segments of the tract (i.e., the superior cerebellar peduncle). These findings are consistent with the hypothesis of DTT undergoing anterograde degeneration arising from the dentate nuclei and progressing to the primary motor cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirio Cocozza
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Sara Bosticardo
- Department of Computer Science, Diffusion Imaging and Connectivity Estimation (DICE) Lab, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Matteo Battocchio
- Department of Computer Science, Diffusion Imaging and Connectivity Estimation (DICE) Lab, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Louise Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gary Egan
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Serena Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Napoli, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Palma
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council, Lecce, Italy
| | - Chiara Pane
- Department of Neurosciences Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Saccà
- Department of Neurosciences Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Schiavi
- Department of Computer Science, Diffusion Imaging and Connectivity Estimation (DICE) Lab, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ASG Superconductors SpA, Genoa, Italy
| | - Louisa Selvadurai
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mario Tranfa
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandro Daducci
- Department of Computer Science, Diffusion Imaging and Connectivity Estimation (DICE) Lab, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Arturo Brunetti
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Ian H Harding
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Novello M, Bosman LWJ, De Zeeuw CI. A Systematic Review of Direct Outputs from the Cerebellum to the Brainstem and Diencephalon in Mammals. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:210-239. [PMID: 36575348 PMCID: PMC10864519 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01499-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum is involved in many motor, autonomic and cognitive functions, and new tasks that have a cerebellar contribution are discovered on a regular basis. Simultaneously, our insight into the functional compartmentalization of the cerebellum has markedly improved. Additionally, studies on cerebellar output pathways have seen a renaissance due to the development of viral tracing techniques. To create an overview of the current state of our understanding of cerebellar efferents, we undertook a systematic review of all studies on monosynaptic projections from the cerebellum to the brainstem and the diencephalon in mammals. This revealed that important projections from the cerebellum, to the motor nuclei, cerebral cortex, and basal ganglia, are predominantly di- or polysynaptic, rather than monosynaptic. Strikingly, most target areas receive cerebellar input from all three cerebellar nuclei, showing a convergence of cerebellar information at the output level. Overall, there appeared to be a large level of agreement between studies on different species as well as on the use of different types of neural tracers, making the emerging picture of the cerebellar output areas a solid one. Finally, we discuss how this cerebellar output network is affected by a range of diseases and syndromes, with also non-cerebellar diseases having impact on cerebellar output areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuele Novello
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Chris I De Zeeuw
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Fernandez L, Corben LA, Bilal H, Delatycki MB, Egan GF, Harding IH. Free-Water Imaging in Friedreich Ataxia Using Multi-Compartment Models. Mov Disord 2024; 39:370-379. [PMID: 37927246 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29648] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neurological phenotype of Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is characterized by neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in the cerebellum and brainstem. Novel neuroimaging approaches quantifying brain free-water using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) are potentially more sensitive to these processes than standard imaging markers. OBJECTIVES To quantify the extent of free-water and microstructural change in FRDA-relevant brain regions using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), and bitensor diffusion tensor imaging (btDTI). METHOD Multi-shell dMRI was acquired from 14 individuals with FRDA and 14 controls. Free-water measures from NODDI (FISO) and btDTI (FW) were compared between groups in the cerebellar cortex, dentate nuclei, cerebellar peduncles, and brainstem. The relative sensitivity of the free-water measures to group differences was compared to microstructural measures of NODDI intracellular volume, free-water corrected fractional anisotropy, and conventional uncorrected fractional anisotropy. RESULTS In individuals with FRDA, FW was elevated in the cerebellar cortex, peduncles (excluding middle), dentate, and brainstem (P < 0.005). FISO was elevated primarily in the cerebellar lobules (P < 0.001). On average, FW effect sizes were larger than all other markers (mean ηρ 2 = 0.43), although microstructural measures also had very large effects in the superior and inferior cerebellar peduncles and brainstem (ηρ 2 > 0.37). Across all regions and metrics, effect sizes were largest in the superior cerebellar peduncles (ηρ 2 > 0.46). CONCLUSIONS Multi-compartment diffusion measures of free-water and neurite integrity distinguish FRDA from controls with large effects. Free-water magnitude in the brainstem and cerebellum provided the greatest distinction between groups. This study supports further applications of multi-compartment diffusion modeling, and investigations of free-water as a measure of disease expression and progression in FRDA. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Fernandez
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise A Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health & School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hiba Bilal
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health & School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Service, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gary F Egan
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health & School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian H Harding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Adanyeguh IM, Joers JM, Deelchand DK, Hutter DH, Eberly LE, Guo B, Iltis I, Bushara KO, Henry PG, Lenglet C. Brain MRI detects early-stage alterations and disease progression in Friedreich ataxia. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad196. [PMID: 37483529 PMCID: PMC10360047 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad196] [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: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cerebellar and spinal atrophy. However, studies to elucidate the longitudinal progression of the pathology in the brain are somewhat inconsistent and limited, especially for early-stage Friedreich ataxia. Using a multimodal neuroimaging protocol, combined with advanced analysis methods, we sought to identify macrostructural and microstructural alterations in the brain of patients with early-stage Friedreich ataxia to better understand its distribution patterns and progression. We enrolled 28 patients with Friedreich ataxia and 20 age- and gender-matched controls. Longitudinal clinical and imaging data were collected in the patients at baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months. Macrostructural differences were observed in patients with Friedreich ataxia, compared to controls, including lower volume of the cerebellar white matter (but not cerebellar grey matter), superior cerebellar peduncle, thalamus and brainstem structures, and higher volume of the fourth ventricle. Diffusion tensor imaging and fixel-based analysis metrics also showed microstructural differences in several brain regions, especially in the cerebellum and corticospinal tract. Over time, many of these macrostructural and microstructural alterations progressed, especially cerebellar grey and white matter volumes, and microstructure of the superior cerebellar peduncle, posterior limb of the internal capsule and superior corona radiata. In addition, linear regressions showed significant associations between many of those imaging metrics and clinical scales. This study provides evidence of early-stage macrostructural and microstructural alterations and of progression over time in the brain in Friedreich ataxia. Moreover, it allows to non-invasively map such brain alterations over a longer period (3 years) than any previous study, and identifies several brain regions with significant involvement in the disease progression besides the cerebellum. We show that fixel-based analysis of diffusion MRI data is particularly sensitive to longitudinal change in the cerebellar peduncles, as well as motor and sensory white matter tracts. In combination with other morphometric measures, they may therefore provide sensitive imaging biomarkers of disease progression for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac M Adanyeguh
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - James M Joers
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Dinesh K Deelchand
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Diane H Hutter
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Lynn E Eberly
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Bin Guo
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Isabelle Iltis
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Khalaf O Bushara
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Pierre-Gilles Henry
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Georgiou-Karistianis N, Corben LA, Reetz K, Adanyeguh IM, Corti M, Deelchand DK, Delatycki MB, Dogan I, Evans R, Farmer J, França MC, Gaetz W, Harding IH, Harris KS, Hersch S, Joules R, Joers JJ, Krishnan ML, Lax M, Lock EF, Lynch D, Mareci T, Muthuhetti Gamage S, Pandolfo M, Papoutsi M, Rezende TJR, Roberts TPL, Rosenberg JT, Romanzetti S, Schulz JB, Schilling T, Schwarz AJ, Subramony S, Yao B, Zicha S, Lenglet C, Henry PG. A natural history study to track brain and spinal cord changes in individuals with Friedreich's ataxia: TRACK-FA study protocol. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269649. [PMID: 36410013 PMCID: PMC9678384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Drug development for neurodegenerative diseases such as Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is limited by a lack of validated, sensitive biomarkers of pharmacodynamic response in affected tissue and disease progression. Studies employing neuroimaging measures to track FRDA have thus far been limited by their small sample sizes and limited follow up. TRACK-FA, a longitudinal, multi-site, and multi-modal neuroimaging natural history study, aims to address these shortcomings by enabling better understanding of underlying pathology and identifying sensitive, clinical trial ready, neuroimaging biomarkers for FRDA. METHODS 200 individuals with FRDA and 104 control participants will be recruited across seven international study sites. Inclusion criteria for participants with genetically confirmed FRDA involves, age of disease onset ≤ 25 years, Friedreich's Ataxia Rating Scale (FARS) functional staging score of ≤ 5, and a total modified FARS (mFARS) score of ≤ 65 upon enrolment. The control cohort is matched to the FRDA cohort for age, sex, handedness, and years of education. Participants will be evaluated at three study visits over two years. Each visit comprises of a harmonized multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Spectroscopy (MRS) scan of the brain and spinal cord; clinical, cognitive, mood and speech assessments and collection of a blood sample. Primary outcome measures, informed by previous neuroimaging studies, include measures of: spinal cord and brain morphometry, spinal cord and brain microstructure (measured using diffusion MRI), brain iron accumulation (using Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping) and spinal cord biochemistry (using MRS). Secondary and exploratory outcome measures include clinical, cognitive assessments and blood biomarkers. DISCUSSION Prioritising immediate areas of need, TRACK-FA aims to deliver a set of sensitive, clinical trial-ready neuroimaging biomarkers to accelerate drug discovery efforts and better understand disease trajectory. Once validated, these potential pharmacodynamic biomarkers can be used to measure the efficacy of new therapeutics in forestalling disease progression. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrails.gov Identifier: NCT04349514.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise A. Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Isaac M. Adanyeguh
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Manuela Corti
- Powell Gene Therapy Centre, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Dinesh K. Deelchand
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Martin B. Delatycki
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Imis Dogan
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Rebecca Evans
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Farmer
- Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), Downingtown, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Marcondes C. França
- Department of Neurology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - William Gaetz
- Department of Radiology, Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ian H. Harding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Karen S. Harris
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Steven Hersch
- Neurology Business Group, Eisai Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | | | - James J. Joers
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michelle L. Krishnan
- Translational Medicine, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | | | - Eric F. Lock
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | - David Lynch
- Department of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Thomas Mareci
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Sahan Muthuhetti Gamage
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Massimo Pandolfo
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | | | - Timothy P. L. Roberts
- Department of Radiology, Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jens T. Rosenberg
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Sandro Romanzetti
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jörg B. Schulz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Traci Schilling
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc, South Plainfield, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Adam J. Schwarz
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sub Subramony
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Bert Yao
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc, South Plainfield, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Stephen Zicha
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Pierre-Gilles Henry
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
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Ortug A, Yuzbasioglu N, Akalan N, Levman J, Takahashi E. Preoperative and postoperative high angular resolution diffusion imaging tractography of cerebellar pathways in posterior fossa tumors. Clin Anat 2022; 35:1085-1099. [PMID: 35560729 PMCID: PMC9547814 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23914] [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: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to utilize high angular resolution diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (HARDI) tractography in the mapping of the pathways of the cerebellum associated with posterior fossa tumors (infratentorial neoplasms) and to determine whether it is useful for preoperative and postoperative evaluation. Retrospective data from 30 patients (age 2-16 yr) with posterior fossa tumor (17 low grade, 13 high grade) and 30 age-sex-matched healthy controls were used. Structural and diffusion-weighted images were collected at a 3-tesla scanner. Tractography was performed using Diffusion Toolkit software, Q-ball model, FACT algorithm, and angle threshold of 45 degrees. Manually assessed regions of interest were placed to identify reconstructed fiber pathways passing through the superior, medial, and inferior cerebellar peduncles for the preoperative, postoperative, and healthy control groups. Fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and track volume measures were obtained and analyzed. Statistically significant differences were found between the preop/postop, preop/control, and postop/control comparisons for the volume of the tracts in both groups. Displacement and disruption of the pathways seemed to differ in relation to the severity of the tumor. The loss of pathways after the operation was associated with selective resection during surgery due to tumor infiltration. There were no FA differences but significantly higher ADC in low-grade tumors, and no difference in both FA and ADC in high-grade tumors. The effects of posterior fossa tumors on cerebellar peduncles and reconstructed pathways were successfully evaluated by HARDI tractography. The technique appears to be useful not only for preoperative but also for postoperative evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Ortug
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, 34815, Turkey
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - N. Yuzbasioglu
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - N. Akalan
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, 34815, Turkey
| | - J. Levman
- Department of Computer Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - E. Takahashi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Naeije G, Schulz JB, Corben LA. The cognitive profile of Friedreich ataxia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Neurol 2022; 22:97. [PMID: 35300598 PMCID: PMC8928653 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-022-02615-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Study the cognitive profile of individuals with Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) and seek evidence for correlations between clinical, genetic and imaging characteristics and neuropsychological impairments. METHODS Based on PRISMA guidelines, a meta-analysis was realized using the Pubmed and Scopus databases to identify studies (1950-2021) reporting neuropsychological test results in genetically confirmed FRDA and control participants in at least one of the following cognitive domains: attention/executive, language, memory and visuo-spatial functions as well as emotion. Studies using identical outcomes in a minimum of two studies were pooled. Pooled effect sizes were calculated with Cohen's d. RESULTS Eighteen studies were included. Individuals with FRDA displayed significantly lower performance than individuals without FRDA in most language, attention, executive function, memory visuospatial function, emotion regulation and social cognitive tasks. Among the included studies, thirteen studies examined the relationship between neuropsychological test results and clinical parameters and reported significant association with disease severity and six studies reviewed the relationship between neuroimaging measures and cognitive performance and mainly reported links between reduced cognitive performance and changes in cerebellar structure. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with FRDA display significantly lower performances in many cognitive domains compared to control participants. The spectrum of the cognitive profile alterations in FRDA and its correlation with disease severity and cerebellar structural parameters suggest a cerebellar role in the pathophysiology of FRDA cognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilles Naeije
- Laboratoire de Cartographie fonctionnelle du Cerveau (LCFC), UNI - ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 808 Lennik Street, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany.,JARA Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Louise A Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.,Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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8
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Straub S, Mangesius S, Emmerich J, Indelicato E, Nachbauer W, Degenhardt KS, Ladd ME, Boesch S, Gizewski ER. Toward quantitative neuroimaging biomarkers for Friedreich's ataxia at 7 Tesla: Susceptibility mapping, diffusion imaging, R 2 and R 1 relaxometry. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:2219-2231. [PMID: 32731306 PMCID: PMC7590084 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a rare genetic disorder leading to degenerative processes. So far, no effective treatment has been found. Therefore, it is important to assist the development of medication with imaging biomarkers reflecting disease status and progress. Ten FRDA patients (mean age 37 ± 14 years; four female) and 10 age- and sex-matched controls were included. Acquisition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data for quantitative susceptibility mapping, R1 , R2 relaxometry and diffusion imaging was performed at 7 Tesla. Results of volume of interest (VOI)-based analyses of the quantitative data were compared with a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) evaluation. Differences between patients and controls were assessed using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA; p < 0.01) with age and sex as covariates, effect size of group differences, and correlations with disease characteristics with Spearman correlation coefficient. For the VBM analysis, a statistical threshold of 0.001 for uncorrected and 0.05 for corrected p-values was used. Statistically significant differences between FRDA patients and controls were found in five out of twelve investigated structures, and statistically significant correlations with disease characteristics were revealed. Moreover, VBM revealed significant white matter atrophy within regions of the brainstem, and the cerebellum. These regions overlapped partially with brain regions for which significant differences between healthy controls and patients were found in the VOI-based quantitative MRI evaluation. It was shown that two independent analyses provided overlapping results. Moreover, positive results on correlations with disease characteristics were found, indicating that these quantitative MRI parameters could provide more detailed information and assist the search for effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Straub
- Division of Medical Physics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Mangesius
- Department of Neuroradiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.,Neuroimaging Core Facility, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Julian Emmerich
- Division of Medical Physics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Wolfgang Nachbauer
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Katja S Degenhardt
- Division of Medical Physics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark E Ladd
- Division of Medical Physics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sylvia Boesch
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Elke R Gizewski
- Department of Neuroradiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.,Neuroimaging Core Facility, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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9
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Naeije G, Rai M, Allaerts N, Sjogard M, De Tiège X, Pandolfo M. Cerebellar cognitive disorder parallels cerebellar motor symptoms in Friedreich ataxia. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2020; 7:1050-1054. [PMID: 32510804 PMCID: PMC7317641 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Dentate nuclei (DN) are involved in cerebellar modulation of motor and cognitive functions, whose impairment causes ataxia and cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS). Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) disease progression relates to degeneration of the dentate nucleus and dentato‐thalamic pathways, causing cerebellar ataxia. Volumetric MRI also shows mild loss in the cerebellar cortex, brainstem, and motor cortex. Cognitive deficits occur in FRDA, but their relationship with ataxia progression is not fully characterized. We found a significant positive correlation between severity of patients’ ataxia and more marked CCAS as assessed with the CCAS‐Scale. This relation could be related to progressive DN impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilles Naeije
- Laboratoire de Cartographie Fonctionnelle du Cerveau, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, CUB Hôpital Erasme, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Myriam Rai
- Laboratoire de Neurologie Expérimentale, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nick Allaerts
- Department of Neurology, CUB Hôpital Erasme, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Martin Sjogard
- Laboratoire de Cartographie Fonctionnelle du Cerveau, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Xavier De Tiège
- Laboratoire de Cartographie Fonctionnelle du Cerveau, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Massimo Pandolfo
- Department of Neurology, CUB Hôpital Erasme, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.,Laboratoire de Neurologie Expérimentale, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
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10
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Selvadurai LP, Corben LA, Delatycki MB, Storey E, Egan GF, Georgiou‐Karistianis N, Harding IH. Multiple mechanisms underpin cerebral and cerebellar white matter deficits in Friedreich ataxia: The IMAGE-FRDA study. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:1920-1933. [PMID: 31904895 PMCID: PMC7267947 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with reported abnormalities in cerebellar, brainstem, and cerebral white matter. White matter structure can be measured using in vivo neuroimaging indices sensitive to different white matter features. For the first time, we examined the relative sensitivity and relationship between multiple white matter indices in Friedreich ataxia to more richly characterize disease expression and infer possible mechanisms underlying the observed white matter abnormalities. Diffusion-tensor, magnetization transfer, and T1-weighted structural images were acquired from 31 individuals with Friedreich ataxia and 36 controls. Six white matter indices were extracted: fractional anisotropy, diffusivity (mean, axial, radial), magnetization transfer ratio (microstructure), and volume (macrostructure). For each index, whole-brain voxel-wise between-group comparisons and correlations with disease severity, onset age, and gene triplet-repeat length were undertaken. Correlations between pairs of indices were assessed in the Friedreich ataxia cohort. Spatial similarities in the voxel-level pattern of between-group differences across the indices were also assessed. Microstructural abnormalities were maximal in cerebellar and brainstem regions, but evident throughout the brain, while macroscopic abnormalities were restricted to the brainstem. Poorer microstructure and reduced macrostructural volume correlated with greater disease severity and earlier onset, particularly in peri-dentate nuclei and brainstem regions. Microstructural and macrostructural abnormalities were largely independent. Reduced fractional anisotropy was most strongly associated with axial diffusivity in cerebral tracts, and magnetization transfer in cerebellar tracts. Multiple mechanisms likely underpin white matter abnormalities in Friedreich ataxia, with differential impacts in cerebellar and cerebral pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa P. Selvadurai
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental HealthMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Louise A. Corben
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental HealthMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health ResearchMurdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Martin B. Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health ResearchMurdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics ServicesParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Elsdon Storey
- Department of MedicineMonash UniversityPrahranVictoriaAustralia
| | - Gary F. Egan
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental HealthMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Monash Biomedical ImagingMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Nellie Georgiou‐Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental HealthMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Ian H. Harding
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental HealthMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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11
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Naeije G, Wens V, Coquelet N, Sjøgård M, Goldman S, Pandolfo M, De Tiège XP. Age of onset determines intrinsic functional brain architecture in Friedreich ataxia. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2020; 7:94-104. [PMID: 31854120 PMCID: PMC6952309 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.50966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is the commonest hereditary ataxia in Caucasians. Most patients are homozygous for expanded GAA triplet repeats in the first intron of the frataxin (FXN) gene, involved in mitochondrial iron metabolism. Here, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to characterize the main determinants of FRDA-related changes in intrinsic functional brain architecture. METHODS Five minutes of MEG signals were recorded at rest from 18 right-handed FRDA patients (mean age 27 years, 9 females; mean SARA score: 21.4) and matched healthy individuals. The MEG connectome was estimated as resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) matrices involving 37 nodes from six major resting state networks and the cerebellum. Source-level rsFC maps were computed using leakage-corrected broad-band (3-40 Hz) envelope correlations. Post hoc median-split was used to contrast rsFC in FRDA patients with different clinical characteristics. Nonparametric permutations and Spearman rank correlation test were used for statistics. RESULTS High rank correlation levels were found between rsFC and age of symptoms onset in FRDA mostly between the ventral attention, the default-mode, and the cerebellar networks; patients with higher rsFC developing symptoms at an older age. Increased rsFC was found in FRDA with later age of symptoms onset compared to healthy subjects. No correlations were found between rsFC and other clinical parameters. CONCLUSION Age of symptoms onset is a major determinant of FRDA patients' intrinsic functional brain architecture. Higher rsFC in FRDA patients with later age of symptoms onset supports compensatory mechanisms for FRDA-related neural network dysfunction and position neuromagnetic rsFC as potential marker of FRDA neural reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilles Naeije
- Laboratoire de Cartographie fonctionnelle du CerveauULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI)Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
- Department of NeurologyCUB Hôpital ErasmeUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Vincent Wens
- Laboratoire de Cartographie fonctionnelle du CerveauULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI)Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
- Department of Functional NeuroimagingService of Nuclear MedicineCUB Hôpital ErasmeUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Nicolas Coquelet
- Laboratoire de Cartographie fonctionnelle du CerveauULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI)Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Martin Sjøgård
- Laboratoire de Cartographie fonctionnelle du CerveauULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI)Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Serge Goldman
- Laboratoire de Cartographie fonctionnelle du CerveauULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI)Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
- Department of Functional NeuroimagingService of Nuclear MedicineCUB Hôpital ErasmeUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Massimo Pandolfo
- Department of NeurologyCUB Hôpital ErasmeUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Xavier P. De Tiège
- Laboratoire de Cartographie fonctionnelle du CerveauULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI)Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
- Department of Functional NeuroimagingService of Nuclear MedicineCUB Hôpital ErasmeUniversité libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
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12
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Jang SH, Kwon HG. Improvement of ataxia in a patient with cerebellar infarction by recovery of injured cortico-ponto-cerebellar tract and dentato-rubro-thalamic tract: a diffusion tensor tractography study. Neural Regen Res 2019; 14:1470-1472. [PMID: 30964075 PMCID: PMC6524491 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.253533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sung Ho Jang
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeok Gyu Kwon
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Eulji University, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea
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13
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Rezende TJR, Martinez ARM, Faber I, Girotto Takazaki KA, Martins MP, de Lima FD, Lopes-Cendes I, Cendes F, França MC. Developmental and neurodegenerative damage in Friedreich's ataxia. Eur J Neurol 2018; 26:483-489. [PMID: 30326180 DOI: 10.1111/ene.13843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is the most common autosomal-recessive ataxia worldwide. It is characterized by early onset, sensory abnormalities and slowly progressive ataxia. All magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based studies have focused on the evaluation of adult patients. Therefore, we designed a cross-sectional multimodal MRI-based study to investigate the anatomical substrates involved in the early stages of FRDA. METHODS We enrolled 37 patients (12 children) and 38 controls. All subjects underwent MRI in a 3T device to assess gray and white matter. We used measures from FreeSurfer and CERES to evaluate the cerebral and cerebellar cortices. The T1 multiatlas assessed deep gray matter. The diffusion tensor imaging multiatlas was used to investigate microstructural abnormalities in brain white matter and SpineSeg was used to assess the cervical spinal cord. All analyses were corrected for multiple comparisons. RESULTS Comparison with age-matched controls showed that pediatric patients have spinal cord, inferior cerebellar peduncle and red nucleus damage. In contrast, adult patients showed more widespread white matter damage than pediatric patients. With regard to gray matter, we found cortical thinning at the left central sulcus and volumetric reduction in the thalami and hippocampi only in adult patients. Finally, values of fractional anisotropy in adult patients and radial diffusivity in pediatric patients from the inferior cerebellar peduncle correlated with disease duration and ataxia severity, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Structural damage in FRDA begins in the spinal cord and inferior cerebellar peduncle as well as the red nucleus, and progresses to cerebral areas in adulthood. These results shed some light on the early stages of FRDA and highlight potential neuroimaging markers for therapeutic trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J R Rezende
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas
| | - A R M Martinez
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas
| | - I Faber
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas
| | - K A Girotto Takazaki
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas
| | - M P Martins
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas
| | - F D de Lima
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas
| | - I Lopes-Cendes
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - F Cendes
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas
| | - M C França
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas
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14
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Mascalchi M, Vella A. Neuroimaging Applications in Chronic Ataxias. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2018; 143:109-162. [PMID: 30473193 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2018.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are the main instruments for neuroimaging investigation of patients with chronic ataxia. MRI has a predominant diagnostic role in the single patient, based on the visual detection of three patterns of atrophy, namely, spinal atrophy, cortical cerebellar atrophy and olivopontocerebellar atrophy, which correlate with the aetiologies of inherited or sporadic ataxia. In fact spinal atrophy is observed in Friedreich ataxia, cortical cerebellar atrophy in Ataxia Telangectasia, gluten ataxia and Sporadic Adult Onset Ataxia and olivopontocerebellar atrophy in Multiple System Atrophy cerebellar type. The 39 types of dominantly inherited spinocerebellar ataxias show either cortical cerebellar atrophy or olivopontocerebellar atrophy. T2 or T2* weighted MR images can contribute to the diagnosis by revealing abnormally increased or decreased signal with a characteristic distribution. These include symmetric T2 hyperintensity of the posterior and lateral columns of the cervical spinal cord in Friedreich ataxia, diffuse and symmetric hyperintensity of the cerebellar cortex in Infantile Neuro-Axonal Dystrophy, symmetric hyperintensity of the peridentate white matter in Cerebrotendineous Xanthomatosis, and symmetric hyperintensity of the middle cerebellar peduncles and peridentate white matter, cerebral white matter and corpus callosum in Fragile X Tremor Ataxia Syndrome. Abnormally decreased T2 or T2* signal can be observed with a multifocal distribution in Ataxia Telangectasia and with a symmetric distribution in the basal ganglia in Multiple System Atrophy. T2 signal hypointensity lining diffusely the outer surfaces of the brainstem, cerebellum and cerebrum enables diagnosis of superficial siderosis of the central nervous system. The diagnostic role of nuclear medicine techniques is smaller. SPECT and PET show decreased uptake of radiotracers investigating the nigrostriatal system in Multiple System Atrophy and in patients with Fragile X Tremor Ataxia Syndrome. Semiquantitative or quantitative MRI, SPECT and PET data describing structural, microstructural and functional changes of the cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord have been widely applied to investigate physiopathological changes in patients with chronic ataxias. Moreover they can track diseases progression with a greater sensitivity than clinical scales. So far, a few small-size and single center studies employed neuroimaging techniques as surrogate markers of treatment effects in chronic ataxias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Mascalchi
- Meyer Children Hospital, Florence, Italy; Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
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15
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Vavla M, Arrigoni F, Nordio A, De Luca A, Pizzighello S, Petacchi E, Paparella G, D'Angelo MG, Brighina E, Russo E, Fantin M, Colombo P, Martinuzzi A. Functional and Structural Brain Damage in Friedreich's Ataxia. Front Neurol 2018; 9:747. [PMID: 30237783 PMCID: PMC6135889 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disorder caused by a GAA repeat expansion in the FXN gene. There is still no cure or quantitative biomarkers reliaby correlating with the progression rate and disease severity. Investigation of functional and structural alterations characterizing white (WM) and gray matter (GM) in FRDA are needed prerequisite to monitor progression and response to treatment. Here we report the results of a multimodal cross-sectional MRI study of FRDA including Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM), diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI), functional MRI (fMRI), and a correlation analysis with clinical severity scores. Twenty-one early-onset FRDA patients and 18 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were imaged at 3T. All patients underwent a complete cognitive and clinical assessment with ataxia scales. VBM analysis showed GM volume reduction in FRDA compared to HCs bilaterally in lobules V, VI, VIII (L>R), as well as in the crus of cerebellum, posterior lobe of the vermis, in the flocculi and in the left tonsil. Voxel-wise DTI analysis showed a diffuse fractional anisotropy reduction and mean, radial, axial (AD) diffusivity increase in both infratentorial and supratentorial WM. ROI-based analysis confirmed the results showing differences of the same DTI metrics in cortico-spinal-tracts, forceps major, corpus callosum, posterior thalamic radiations, cerebellar penduncles. Additionally, we observed increased AD in superior (SCP) and middle cerebellar peduncles. The WM findings correlated with age at onset (AAO), short-allelle GAA, and disease severity. The intragroup analysis of fMRI data from right-handed 14 FRDA and 15 HCs showed similar findings in both groups, including activation in M1, insula and superior cerebellar hemisphere (lobules V-VIII). Significant differences emerged only during the non-dominant hand movement, with HCs showing a stronger activation in the left superior cerebellar hemisphere compared to FRDA. Significant correlations were found between AAO and the fMRI activation in cerebellar anterior and posterior lobes, insula and temporal lobe. Our multimodal neuroimaging protocol suggests that MRI is a useful tool to document the extension of the neurological impairment in FRDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marinela Vavla
- Severe Developmental Disabilities Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Conegliano, Italy
| | - Filippo Arrigoni
- Neuroimaging Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Andrea Nordio
- Neuroimaging Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy.,Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alberto De Luca
- Neuroimaging Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Silvia Pizzighello
- Severe Developmental Disabilities Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Conegliano, Italy
| | - Elisa Petacchi
- Severe Developmental Disabilities Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Conegliano, Italy
| | - Gabriella Paparella
- Severe Developmental Disabilities Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Conegliano, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia D'Angelo
- NeuroMuscular Unit, Department of NeuroRehabilitation, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Erika Brighina
- NeuroMuscular Unit, Department of NeuroRehabilitation, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Emanuela Russo
- Severe Developmental Disabilities Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Conegliano, Italy
| | - Marianna Fantin
- Severe Developmental Disabilities Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Conegliano, Italy
| | - Paola Colombo
- Neuroimaging Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Andrea Martinuzzi
- Severe Developmental Disabilities Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS "Eugenio Medea", Conegliano, Italy
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16
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Reetz K, Dogan I, Hohenfeld C, Didszun C, Giunti P, Mariotti C, Durr A, Boesch S, Klopstock T, Rodríguez de Rivera Garrido FJ, Schöls L, Giordano I, Bürk K, Pandolfo M, Schulz JB. Nonataxia symptoms in Friedreich Ataxia: Report from the Registry of the European Friedreich's Ataxia Consortium for Translational Studies (EFACTS). Neurology 2018; 91:e917-e930. [PMID: 30097477 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000006121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide a systematic evaluation of the broad clinical variability in Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), a multisystem disorder presenting mainly with afferent ataxia but also a complex phenotype of nonataxia symptoms. METHODS From the large database of the European Friedreich's Ataxia Consortium for Translational Studies, 650 patients with genetically confirmed FRDA were included. Detailed data of medical history documentation, questionnaires, and reports on clinical features were analyzed to provide in-depth description of the clinical profile and frequency rates of phenotypical features with a focus on differences between typical-onset and late-onset FRDA. Logistic regression modeling was used to identify predictors for the presence of the most common clinical features. RESULTS The most frequent clinical features beyond afferent ataxia were abnormal eye movements (90.5%), scoliosis (73.5%), deformities of the feet (58.8%), urinary dysfunction (42.8%), cardiomyopathy and cardiac hypertrophy (40.3%), followed by decreased visual acuity (36.8%); less frequent features were, among others, depression (14.1%) and diabetes (7.1%). Most of these features were more common in the typical-onset group compared to the late-onset group. Logistic regression models for the presence of these symptoms demonstrated the predictive value of GAA repeat length on the shorter allele and age at onset, but also severity of ataxia signs, sex, and presence of neonatal problems. CONCLUSIONS This joint European effort demonstrates the multisystem nature of this neurodegenerative disease encompassing most the central nervous, neuromuscular, cardiologic, and sensory systems. A distinct and deeper knowledge of this rare and chronic disease is highly relevant for clinical practice and designs of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Reetz
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Imis Dogan
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christian Hohenfeld
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Claire Didszun
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Paola Giunti
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Caterina Mariotti
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alexandra Durr
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sylvia Boesch
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Klopstock
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Francisco Javier Rodríguez de Rivera Garrido
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ludger Schöls
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ilaria Giordano
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Katrin Bürk
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Massimo Pandolfo
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- From the Department of Neurology (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), RWTH Aachen University; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (K.R., I.D., C.H., C.D., J.B.S.), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (P.G.), Ataxia Center, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases (C.M.), Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités (A.D.), UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Genetic Department, Paris, France; Department of Neurology (S.B.), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Neurology (T.K.), Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (T.K.), Munich; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) (T.K.), Munich, Germany; Reference Unit of Hereditary Ataxias and Paraplegias (F.J.R.d.R.G.), Department of Neurology, IdiPAZ, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases (L.S.), Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen; Department of Neurology (I.G.), University Hospital of Bonn; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) (I.G.), Bonn; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; and Laboratory of Experimental Neurology (M.P.), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
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Mascalchi M, Salvadori E, Toschi N, Giannelli M, Orsolini S, Ciulli S, Ginestroni A, Poggesi A, Giorgio A, Lorenzini F, Pasi M, De Stefano N, Pantoni L, Inzitari D, Diciotti S. DTI-derived indexes of brain WM correlate with cognitive performance in vascular MCI and small-vessel disease. A TBSS study. Brain Imaging Behav 2018; 13:594-602. [DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-9873-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Selvadurai LP, Harding IH, Corben LA, Georgiou-Karistianis N. Cerebral abnormalities in Friedreich ataxia: A review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 84:394-406. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Corben LA, Klopper F, Stagnitti M, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Bradshaw JL, Rance G, Delatycki MB. Measuring Inhibition and Cognitive Flexibility in Friedreich Ataxia. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2017; 16:757-763. [PMID: 28229372 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-017-0848-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder with subtle impact on cognition. Inhibitory processes and cognitive flexibility were examined in FRDA by assessing the ability to suppress a predictable verbal response. We administered the Hayling Sentence Completion Test (HSCT), the Trail Making Test, and the Stroop Test to 43 individuals with FRDA and 42 gender- and age-matched control participants. There were no significant group differences in performance on the Stroop or Trail Making Test whereas significant impairment in cognitive flexibility including the ability to predict and inhibit a pre-potent response as measured in the HSCT was evident in individuals with FRDA. These deficits did not correlate with clinical characteristics of FRDA (age of disease onset, disease duration, number of guanine-adenine-adenine repeats on the shorter or larger FXN allele, or Friedreich Ataxia Rating Scale score), suggesting that such impairment may not be related to the disease process in a straightforward way. The observed specific impairment of inhibition and predictive capacity in individuals with FRDA on the HSCT task, in the absence of impairment in associated executive functions, supports cerebellar dysfunction in conjunction with disturbance to cortico-thalamo-cerebellar connectivity, perhaps via inability to access frontal areas necessary for successful task completion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise A Corben
- Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Felicity Klopper
- Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Monique Stagnitti
- Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - John L Bradshaw
- Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gary Rance
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Harding IH, Corben LA, Delatycki MB, Stagnitti MR, Storey E, Egan GF, Georgiou-Karistianis N. Cerebral compensation during motor function in Friedreich ataxia: The IMAGE-FRDA study. Mov Disord 2017; 32:1221-1229. [PMID: 28556242 DOI: 10.1002/mds.27023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Friedreich ataxia is characterized by progressive motor incoordination that is linked to peripheral, spinal, and cerebellar neuropathology. Cerebral abnormalities are also reported in Friedreich ataxia, but their role in disease expression remains unclear. METHODS In this cross-sectional functional magnetic resonance imaging study, 25 individuals with Friedreich ataxia and 33 healthy controls performed simple (self-paced single-finger) and complex (visually cued multifinger) tapping tasks to respectively gauge basic and attentionally demanding motor behavior. For each task, whole brain functional activations were compared between groups and correlated with disease severity and offline measures of motor dexterity. RESULTS During simple finger tapping, cerebral hyperactivation in individuals with Friedreich ataxia at the lower end of clinical severity and cerebral hypoactivation in those more severely affected was observed in premotor/ventral attention brain regions, including the supplementary motor area and anterior insula. Greater activation in this network correlated with greater offline finger tapping precision. Complex, attentionally demanding finger tapping was also associated with cerebral hyperactivation, but in this case within dorsolateral prefrontal regions of the executive control network and superior parietal regions of the dorsal attention system. Greater offline motor precision was associated with less activation in the dorsal attention network. DISCUSSION Compensatory activity is evident in the cerebral cortex in individuals with Friedreich ataxia. Early compensation followed by later decline in premotor/ventral attention systems demonstrates capacity-limited neural reserve, while the additional engagement of higher order brain networks is indicative of compensatory task strategies. Network-level changes in cerebral brain function thus potentially serve to mitigate the impact of motor impairments in Friedreich ataxia. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian H Harding
- School of Psychological Sciences & Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Louise A Corben
- School of Psychological Sciences & Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- School of Psychological Sciences & Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Clinical Genetics, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Monique R Stagnitti
- School of Psychological Sciences & Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elsdon Storey
- Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gary F Egan
- School of Psychological Sciences & Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences & Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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21
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Abstract
RATIONALE Several studies using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) have reported on injury in the dentato-rubro-thalamic tract (DRTT) in patients with brain injury. However, there is no study of injury in the DRTT following cerebellar infarct. We report on patients with injury in the DRTT following cerebellar infarct, demonstrated on DTT. PATIENT CONCERNS Three patients with cerebellar infarct were enrolled in this study. Diffusion tensor imaging data were acquired at 3 weeks (patient 1) and 2 weeks (patients 2 and 3) after onset and the DRTT was reconstructed. The Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxiaand the Functional Ambulation Category were used for evaluation of ataxia and gait function. DIAGNOSES AND OUTCOMES With clinical evaluation, patient 1 scored 18, patient 2 scored 22, and patient 3 scored 28 points on the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia. On the Functional Ambulation Category patient 1 scored 2, patient 2 scored 2, and patient 3 scored 1 point. DRTT abnormalities were as follows: discontinuation (the upper portion of the left DRTT in the patient 1), narrowing (the lower portion of the left DRTT in patient 2, and the whole right DRTT in the patient 3), and nonreconstruction (the left DRTT in the patient 3). LESSONS Using DTT, we demonstrated injury in the DRTT in 3 patients with severe ataxia following cerebellar infarct. We believe that evaluation of the DRTT would be helpful in patients who develop ataxia following cerebellar infarct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Ho Jang
- College of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Yeungnam University, Daegu
| | - Hyeok Gyu Kwon
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pusan, Republic of Korea
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22
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Rezende TJR, Martinez ARM, Faber I, Girotto K, Pedroso JL, Barsottini OG, Lopes-Cendes I, Cendes F, Faria AV, França MC. Structural signature of classical versus late-onset friedreich's ataxia by Multimodality brain MRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:4157-4168. [PMID: 28543952 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is the most common autosomal-recessive ataxia worldwide. It is characterized by early onset, sensory abnormalities, and slowly progressive ataxia. However, some individuals manifest the disease after the age of 25 years and are classified as late-onset FRDA (LOFA). Therefore, we propose a transversal multimodal MRI-based study to investigate which anatomical substrates are involved in classical (cFRDA) and LOFA. METHODS We enrolled 36 patients (13 with LOFA) and 29 healthy controls. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging in a 3 T device; three-dimensional high-resolution T1-weighted images and diffusion tensor images were used to assess gray and white matter, respectively. We used T1 multiatlas approach to assess deep gray matter and cortical thickness measures to evaluate cerebral cortex and DTI multiatlas approach to assess white matter. All analyses were corrected for multiple comparisons. RESULTS Group comparison showed that both groups presented gray matter atrophy mostly in the motor cortex. Regarding white matter, we found abnormalities in the cerebellar peduncles, pyramidal tracts, midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata for both groups, but the microstructural abnormalities in the cFRDA group were more widespread. In addition, we found that the corticospinal tract presented more severe microstructural damage in the LOFA group. Finally, the midbrain volume of the cFRDA, but not of the LOFA group, correlated with disease duration (R = -0.552, P = 0.012) and severity (R = -0.783, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The cFRDA and LOFA groups have similar, but not identical neuroimaging damage pattern. These structural differences might help to explain the phenotypic variability observed in FRDA. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4157-4168, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Junqueira R Rezende
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alberto Rolim M Martinez
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ingrid Faber
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Karen Girotto
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Luiz Pedroso
- Division of General Neurology and Ataxia Unit, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Orlando G Barsottini
- Division of General Neurology and Ataxia Unit, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Iscia Lopes-Cendes
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando Cendes
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andreia V Faria
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Marcondes C França
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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23
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Palesi F, Tournier JD, Calamante F, Muhlert N, Castellazzi G, Chard D, D'Angelo E, Wheeler-Kingshott CG. Reconstructing contralateral fiber tracts: methodological aspects of cerebello-thalamocortical pathway reconstruction. FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY 2017; 31:229-238. [PMID: 28072383 DOI: 10.11138/fneur/2016.31.4.229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The identification of pathways connecting the cerebral cortex with subcortical structures is critical to understanding how large-scale brain networks operate. The cerebellum, for example, is known to project numerous axonal bundles to thecerebral cortex passing through the thalamus. This paper focuses on the technical details of cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathway reconstruction using advanced diffusion MRI techniques in humans in vivo. Pathways reconstructed using seed/target placement on super-resolution maps, created with track density imaging (TDI), were compared with those reconstructed by defining regions of interest (ROIs) on non-diffusion weighted images (b0). We observed that the reconstruction of the pathways was more anatomically accurate when using ROIs placed on TDI rather than on b0 maps, while inter-subject variability and reproducibility were similar between the two methods. Diffusion indices along pathways showed a position-dependent specificity that will need to be taken into consideration in future clinical investigations.
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24
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Selvadurai LP, Harding IH, Corben LA, Stagnitti MR, Storey E, Egan GF, Delatycki MB, Georgiou-Karistianis N. Cerebral and cerebellar grey matter atrophy in Friedreich ataxia: the IMAGE-FRDA study. J Neurol 2016; 263:2215-2223. [PMID: 27522354 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-016-8252-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Revised: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is traditionally associated with neuropathology in the cerebellar dentate nucleus and spinal cord. Growing evidence also suggests involvement of the cerebral and cerebellar cortices, although reports of structural abnormalities remain mixed. This study assessed the structural integrity of cortical grey matter in FRDA, focussing on regions in which pathology may underlie the motor deficits characteristic of this disorder. T1-weighted anatomical magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 31 individuals with FRDA and 37 healthy controls. Cortical thickness (FreeSurfer) and cortical volume (SPM-VBM) were measured in cerebral motor regions-of-interest (primary motor, dorsal and ventral premotor, and supplementary motor areas) alongside unconstrained exploratory analyses of the cerebral and cerebellar cortices. Correlations were assessed between cortical thickness/volume measures and each of disease severity, length of the causative genetic triplet-repeat expansion, and finger-tapping behavioural measures. Individuals with FRDA had significantly reduced cortical thickness, relative to controls, in the premotor and supplementary motor areas. Reduced cortical thickness and/or volume were also observed in the cuneus and precuneus, posterior aspects of the medial and lateral prefrontal cortices, insula, temporal poles, and cerebellar lobules V, VI, and VII. Measures of clinical severity, genetic abnormality, and motor dysfunction correlated with volume loss in the lateral cerebellar hemispheres. These results suggest that atrophy preferentially affects premotor relative to primary areas of the cortical motor system, and also extends to a range of non-motor brain regions. Furthermore, cortical thickness and cortical volume findings were largely divergent, suggesting that each is sensitive to different aspects of neuropathology in FRDA. Overall, this study supports a disease model involving neural aberrations within the cerebral and cerebellar cortices, beyond those traditionally associated with this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa P Selvadurai
- School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Ian H Harding
- School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Louise A Corben
- School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.,Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Monique R Stagnitti
- School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Elsdon Storey
- Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gary F Egan
- School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.,Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Clinical Genetics, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
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25
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Dogan I, Tinnemann E, Romanzetti S, Mirzazade S, Costa AS, Werner CJ, Heim S, Fedosov K, Schulz S, Timmann D, Giordano IA, Klockgether T, Schulz JB, Reetz K. Cognition in Friedreich's ataxia: a behavioral and multimodal imaging study. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2016; 3:572-87. [PMID: 27606341 PMCID: PMC4999591 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a spinocerebellar degenerative disorder, in which cognitive deficits are sparsely explored. In this behavioral and multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study, we investigated the neurocognitive profile and cortico‐cerebellar dysfunctions underlying executive functioning in individuals with FRDA. Methods 22 FRDA patients and 22 controls were clinically and neuropsychologically examined. Fifteen of each underwent structural and functional MRI using a verbal‐fluency task with phonemic and semantic conditions. Gray (GM) and white matter (WM) alterations were assessed by means of voxel‐based morphometry and diffusion‐tensor imaging. Results The neuropsychological profile demonstrated deficits in verbal fluency, working memory and social cognition. Functional MRI data showed most pronounced group‐differences in phonemic fluency with patients exhibiting enhanced activity in the cerebellum (VI, Crus I), fronto‐insular, premotor and temporo‐occipital regions. The semantic condition only revealed reduced activity in the anterior cerebellum; for overt speech, we found increased activity in the motor cortex. Functional connectivity‐analysis showed higher co‐activation within cerebellar and cortical regions, respectively, and impaired interregional coupling between the cerebellum and fronto‐insular cortex for phonemic processing, which was also related to poorer task performance. GM reduction in FRDA was mainly found in lobule VI, whereas WM degeneration was more pronounced including brainstem, cerebellum, and cortex. Decreased cerebellar GM was associated with enhanced activity in the fronto‐insular cortex, while loss of WM integrity may translate cortico‐cerebellar pathway disruptions. Interpretation The pattern of increased neural response with both cerebellar and cortical involvement underlying executive functioning indicates functional reorganization driven by disease‐related structural damage in FRDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imis Dogan
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine Aachen and Jülich Germany
| | | | - Sandro Romanzetti
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine Aachen and Jülich Germany
| | - Shahram Mirzazade
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine Aachen and Jülich Germany
| | - Ana S Costa
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine Aachen and Jülich Germany; Neurocognition Unit Department of Neurology Hospital de Braga Braga Portugal
| | - Cornelius J Werner
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine Aachen and Jülich Germany
| | - Stefan Heim
- JARA - Translational Brain Medicine Aachen and Jülich Germany; JARA BRAIN Institute IIInstitute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1) Research Center Jülich GmbH Jülich Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics RWTH Aachen Aachen
Germany
| | - Kathrin Fedosov
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
| | - Stefanie Schulz
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
| | - Dagmar Timmann
- Department of Neurology Essen University Hospital Essen Germany
| | - Ilaria A Giordano
- Department of Neurology University Hospital of Bonn Bonn Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Bonn Germany
| | - Thomas Klockgether
- Department of Neurology University Hospital of Bonn Bonn Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Bonn Germany
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine Aachen and Jülich Germany; JARA BRAIN Institute IIInstitute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1)Research Center Jülich GmbH Jülich Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine Aachen and Jülich Germany; JARA BRAIN Institute IIInstitute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1)Research Center Jülich GmbH Jülich Germany
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26
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Rezende TJR, Silva CB, Yassuda CL, Campos BM, D'Abreu A, Cendes F, Lopes-Cendes I, França MC. Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study shows progressive pyramidal and callosal damage in Friedreich's ataxia. Mov Disord 2015; 31:70-8. [PMID: 26688047 DOI: 10.1002/mds.26436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Spinal cord and peripheral nerves are classically known to be damaged in Friedreich's ataxia, but the extent of cerebral involvement in the disease and its progression over time are not yet characterized. The aim of this study was to evaluate longitudinally cerebral damage in Friedreich's ataxia. METHODS We enrolled 31 patients and 40 controls, which were evaluated at baseline and after 1 and 2 years. To assess gray matter, we employed voxel-based morphometry and cortical thickness measurements. White matter was evaluated using diffusion tensor imaging. Statistical analyses were both cross-sectional and longitudinal (corrected for multiple comparisons). RESULTS Group comparison between patients and controls revealed widespread macrostructural differences at baseline: gray matter atrophy in the dentate nuclei, brainstem, and precentral gyri; and white matter atrophy in the cerebellum and superior cerebellar peduncles, brainstem, and periventricular areas. We did not identify any longitudinal volumetric change over time. There were extensive microstructural alterations, including superior cerebellar peduncles, corpus callosum, and pyramidal tracts. Longitudinal analyses identified progressive microstructural abnormalities at the corpus callosum, pyramidal tracts, and superior cerebellar peduncles after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION Patients with Friedreich's ataxia present more widespread gray and white matter damage than previously reported, including not only infratentorial areas, but also supratentorial structures. Furthermore, patients with Friedreich's ataxia have progressive microstructural abnormalities amenable to detection in a short-term follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago J R Rezende
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cynthia B Silva
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Clarissa L Yassuda
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Brunno M Campos
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anelyssa D'Abreu
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando Cendes
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Iscia Lopes-Cendes
- Medical Genetics, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcondes C França
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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27
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Baldarçara L, Currie S, Hadjivassiliou M, Hoggard N, Jack A, Jackowski AP, Mascalchi M, Parazzini C, Reetz K, Righini A, Schulz JB, Vella A, Webb SJ, Habas C. Consensus paper: radiological biomarkers of cerebellar diseases. THE CEREBELLUM 2015; 14:175-96. [PMID: 25382714 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-014-0610-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hereditary and sporadic cerebellar ataxias represent a vast and still growing group of diseases whose diagnosis and differentiation cannot only rely on clinical evaluation. Brain imaging including magnetic resonance (MR) and nuclear medicine techniques allows for characterization of structural and functional abnormalities underlying symptomatic ataxias. These methods thus constitute a potential source of radiological biomarkers, which could be used to identify these diseases and differentiate subgroups of them, and to assess their severity and their evolution. Such biomarkers mainly comprise qualitative and quantitative data obtained from MR including proton spectroscopy, diffusion imaging, tractography, voxel-based morphometry, functional imaging during task execution or in a resting state, and from SPETC and PET with several radiotracers. In the current article, we aim to illustrate briefly some applications of these neuroimaging tools to evaluation of cerebellar disorders such as inherited cerebellar ataxia, fetal developmental malformations, and immune-mediated cerebellar diseases and of neurodegenerative or early-developing diseases, such as dementia and autism in which cerebellar involvement is an emerging feature. Although these radiological biomarkers appear promising and helpful to better understand ataxia-related anatomical and physiological impairments, to date, very few of them have turned out to be specific for a given ataxia with atrophy of the cerebellar system being the main and the most usual alteration being observed. Consequently, much remains to be done to establish sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of available MR and nuclear medicine features as diagnostic, progression and surrogate biomarkers in clinical routine.
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28
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Palesi F, Tournier JD, Calamante F, Muhlert N, Castellazzi G, Chard D, D'Angelo E, Wheeler-Kingshott CAM. Contralateral cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathways with prominent involvement of associative areas in humans in vivo. Brain Struct Funct 2015; 220:3369-84. [PMID: 25134682 PMCID: PMC4575696 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0861-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In addition to motor functions, it has become clear that in humans the cerebellum plays a significant role in cognition too, through connections with associative areas in the cerebral cortex. Classical anatomy indicates that neo-cerebellar regions are connected with the contralateral cerebral cortex through the dentate nucleus, superior cerebellar peduncle, red nucleus and ventrolateral anterior nucleus of the thalamus. The anatomical existence of these connections has been demonstrated using virus retrograde transport techniques in monkeys and rats ex vivo. In this study, using advanced diffusion MRI tractography we show that it is possible to calculate streamlines to reconstruct the pathway connecting the cerebellar cortex with contralateral cerebral cortex in humans in vivo. Corresponding areas of the cerebellar and cerebral cortex encompassed similar proportion (about 80%) of the tract, suggesting that the majority of streamlines passing through the superior cerebellar peduncle connect the cerebellar hemispheres through the ventrolateral thalamus with contralateral associative areas. This result demonstrates that this kind of tractography is a useful tool to map connections between the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex and moreover could be used to support specific theories about the abnormal communication along these pathways in cognitive dysfunctions in pathologies ranging from dyslexia to autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulvia Palesi
- Department of Physics, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 6, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
- Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Jacques-Donald Tournier
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, 245 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health and Northern Health, University of Melbourne, Studley Road, Heidelberg, Australia.
| | - Fernando Calamante
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, 245 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health and Northern Health, University of Melbourne, Studley Road, Heidelberg, Australia.
| | - Nils Muhlert
- Department of Neuroinflammation, NMR Research Unit, Queen Square MS Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 2AT, UK.
| | - Gloria Castellazzi
- Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
- Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Declan Chard
- Department of Neuroinflammation, NMR Research Unit, Queen Square MS Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- National Institute for Health Research, University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7DN, UK.
| | - Egidio D'Angelo
- Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Forlanini 6, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Claudia A M Wheeler-Kingshott
- Department of Neuroinflammation, NMR Research Unit, Queen Square MS Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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29
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Mascalchi M, Toschi N, Giannelli M, Ginestroni A, Della Nave R, Tessa C, Piacentini S, Dotti MT, Aiello M, Nicolai E, Soricelli A, Salvi F, Diciotti S. Regional Cerebral Disease Progression in Friedreich's Ataxia: A Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study. J Neuroimaging 2015; 26:197-200. [PMID: 26175281 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Revised: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Imaging biomarkers of disease progression are desirable in inherited ataxias. MRI has demonstrated brain damage in Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) in form of regional atrophy of the medulla, peridentate cerebellar white matter (WM) and superior cerebellar peduncles (visible in T1-weighted images) and of change of microstructural characteristics of WM tracts of the brainstem, cerebellar peduncles, cerebellum, and supratentorial structures (visible through diffusion-weighted imaging). We explored the potential of brain MR morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to track the progression of neurodegeneration in FRDA. METHODS Eight patients (5F, 3M; age 13.4-41.2 years) and 8 healthy controls (2F, 6M; age 26.2-48.3 years) underwent 2 MRI examinations (mean 3.9 and 4.1 years apart, respectively) on the same 1.5T scanner. The protocol included 3D T1-weighted images and axial diffusion-weighted images (b-value 1,000 s/mm(2)) for calculating maps of fractional anisotropy, mean, axial and radial diffusivity, and mode of anisotropy. Tensor-based morphometry was used to investigate regional volume changes and tract-based spatial statistics was used to investigate microstructural changes in WM tracts. RESULTS Longitudinal analyses showed no differences in regional volume changes but a significant difference in axial diffusivity changes in cerebral and corpus callosum WM of patients as compared to controls (mean longitudinal rate of change for axial diffusivity: -.02 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s/year in patients vs. .01 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s/year in controls). No correlation with number of triplets, disease duration, and worsening of the clinical deficit was observed. CONCLUSION DTI can track brain microstructural changes in FRDA and can be considered a potential biomarker of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Mascalchi
- Quantitative and Functional Neuroradiology Research Unit at Meyer Children and Careggi Hospitals of Florence, Florence, Italy.,"Mario Serio" Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Nicola Toschi
- Medical Physics Section, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata,", Rome, Italy.,Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Marco Giannelli
- Unit of Medical Physics, Pisa University Hospital "Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana,", Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Carlo Tessa
- Unit of Radiology, Versilia Hospital, Azienda USL 12 Viareggio, Lido di Camaiore (Lu), Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Andrea Soricelli
- IRCSS SDN Foundation, Naples, Italy.,University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Salvi
- "Il Bene" Centre for Immunological and Rare Diseases, Bellaria Hospital, IRCSS Neurologia Città di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Diciotti
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering "Guglielmo Marconi,", University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy
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30
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Goveas J, O'Dwyer L, Mascalchi M, Cosottini M, Diciotti S, De Santis S, Passamonti L, Tessa C, Toschi N, Giannelli M. Diffusion-MRI in neurodegenerative disorders. Magn Reson Imaging 2015; 33:853-76. [PMID: 25917917 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2015.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2014] [Revised: 04/18/2015] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The ability to image the whole brain through ever more subtle and specific methods/contrasts has come to play a key role in understanding the basis of brain abnormalities in several diseases. In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), "diffusion" (i.e. the random, thermally-induced displacements of water molecules over time) represents an extraordinarily sensitive contrast mechanism, and the exquisite structural detail it affords has proven useful in a vast number of clinical as well as research applications. Since diffusion-MRI is a truly quantitative imaging technique, the indices it provides can serve as potential imaging biomarkers which could allow early detection of pathological alterations as well as tracking and possibly predicting subtle changes in follow-up examinations and clinical trials. Accordingly, diffusion-MRI has proven useful in obtaining information to better understand the microstructural changes and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying various neurodegenerative disorders. In this review article, we summarize and explore the main applications, findings, perspectives as well as challenges and future research of diffusion-MRI in various neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease and degenerative ataxias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Goveas
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, and Institute for Health and Society, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Laurence O'Dwyer
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Mario Mascalchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Quantitative and Functional Neuroradiology Research Program at Meyer Children and Careggi Hospitals of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Mirco Cosottini
- Department of Translational Research and New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Unit of Neuroradiology, Pisa University Hospital "Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana", Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Diciotti
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering "Guglielmo Marconi", University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Silvia De Santis
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Luca Passamonti
- Institute of Bioimaging and Molecular Physiology, National Research Council, Catanzaro, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carlo Tessa
- Division of Radiology, "Versilia" Hospital, AUSL 12 Viareggio, Lido di Camaiore, Italy
| | - Nicola Toschi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Medical Physics Section, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy; Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco Giannelli
- Unit of Medical Physics, Pisa University Hospital "Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana", Pisa, Italy.
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31
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Keser Z, Hasan KM, Mwangi BI, Kamali A, Ucisik-Keser FE, Riascos RF, Yozbatiran N, Francisco GE, Narayana PA. Diffusion tensor imaging of the human cerebellar pathways and their interplay with cerebral macrostructure. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:41. [PMID: 25904851 PMCID: PMC4389543 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar white matter (WM) connections to the central nervous system are classified functionally into the Spinocerebellar (SC), vestibulocerebellar (VC), and cerebrocerebellar subdivisions. The SC pathways project from spinal cord to cerebellum, whereas the VC pathways project from vestibular organs of the inner ear. Cerebrocerebellar connections are composed of feed forward and feedback connections between cerebrum and cerebellum including the cortico-ponto-cerebellar (CPC) pathways being of cortical origin and the dentate-rubro-thalamo-cortical (DRTC) pathway being of cerebellar origin. In this study we systematically quantified the whole cerebellar system connections using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI). Ten right-handed healthy subjects (7 males and 3 females, age range 20–51 years) were studied. DT-MRI data were acquired with a voxel size = 2 mm × 2 mm × 2 mm at a 3.0 Tesla clinical MRI scanner. The DT-MRI data were prepared and analyzed using anatomically-guided deterministic tractography methods to reconstruct the SC, DRTC, fronto-ponto-cerebellar (FPC), parieto-ponto-cerebellar (PPC), temporo-ponto-cerebellar (TPC) and occipito-ponto-cerebellar (OPC). The DTI-attributes or the cerebellar tracts along with their cortical representation (Brodmann areas) were presented in standard Montréal Neurological Institute space. All cerebellar tract volumes were quantified and correlated with volumes of cerebral cortical, subcortical gray matter (GM), cerebral WM and cerebellar GM, and cerebellar WM. On our healthy cohort, the ratio of total cerebellar GM-to-WM was ~3.29 ± 0.24, whereas the ratio of cerebral GM-to-WM was approximately 1.10 ± 0.11. The sum of all cerebellar tract volumes is ~25.8 ± 7.3 mL, or a percentage of 1.6 ± 0.45 of the total intracranial volume (ICV).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zafer Keser
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and TIRR Memorial Hermann Neuro-Recovery Research Center, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Khader M Hasan
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Benson I Mwangi
- UT Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, TX, USA
| | - Arash Kamali
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fehime Eymen Ucisik-Keser
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX, USA
| | - Roy F Riascos
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nuray Yozbatiran
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and TIRR Memorial Hermann Neuro-Recovery Research Center, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gerard E Francisco
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and TIRR Memorial Hermann Neuro-Recovery Research Center, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ponnada A Narayana
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
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32
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Dhamija R, Kirmani S. A 7-year-old girl with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and progressive scoliosis. Semin Pediatr Neurol 2014; 21:67-71. [PMID: 25149925 DOI: 10.1016/j.spen.2014.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We report a 7 year old girl who was evaluated for progressive thoracolumbar scoliosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Neurological examination was found to be abnormal and significant for absent reflexes and weakness distally in lower extremities and positive Romberg sign. Electromyogram showed length-dependent, axonal, sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Frataxin levels were low at 3ng/mL. Molecular testing for Friedreich ataxia showed significantly expanded GAA repeats at 799 (abnormal >67 GAA repeats) on one allele and a heterozygous disease causing mutation, c.317T>C (p.Leu106Ser) on the other allele, confirming the diagnosis. A review of Friedreich ataxia is provided in the case report.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Salman Kirmani
- Department of Medical Genetics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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33
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Pope PA, Miall RC. Restoring cognitive functions using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in patients with cerebellar disorders. Front Psychiatry 2014; 5:33. [PMID: 24765079 PMCID: PMC3980102 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have highlighted the possibility of modulating the excitability of cerebro-cerebellar circuits bi-directionally using transcranial electrical brain stimulation, in a manner akin to that observed using magnetic stimulation protocols. It has been proposed that cerebellar stimulation activates Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex, leading to inhibition of the dentate nucleus, which exerts a tonic facilitatory drive onto motor and cognitive regions of cortex through a synaptic relay in the ventral-lateral thalamus. Some cerebellar deficits present with cognitive impairments if damage to non-motor regions of the cerebellum disrupts the coupling with cerebral cortical areas for thinking and reasoning. Indeed, white matter changes in the dentato-rubral tract correlate with cognitive assessments in patients with Friedreich ataxia, suggesting that this pathway is one component of the anatomical substrate supporting a cerebellar contribution to cognition. An understanding of the physiology of the cerebro-cerebellar pathway previously helped us to constrain our interpretation of results from two recent studies in which we showed cognitive enhancements in healthy participants during tests of arithmetic after electrical stimulation of the cerebellum, but only when task demands were high. Others studies have also shown how excitation of the prefrontal cortex can enhance performance in a variety of working memory tasks. Thus, future efforts might be guided toward neuro-enhancement in certain patient populations, using what is commonly termed "non-invasive brain stimulation" as a cognitive rehabilitation tool to modulate cerebro-cerebellar circuits, or for stimulation over the cerebral cortex to compensate for decreased cerebellar drive to this region. This article will address these possibilities with a review of the relevant literature covering ataxias and cerebellar cognitive affective disorders, which are characterized by thalamo-cortical disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Pope
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham , Birmingham , UK
| | - R Chris Miall
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham , Birmingham , UK
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