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Niemczak CE, Montagnese B, Levy J, Fellows AM, Gui J, Leigh SM, Magohe A, Massawe ER, Buckey JC. Machine learning for predicting cognitive deficits using auditory and demographic factors. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302902. [PMID: 38743715 PMCID: PMC11093307 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Predicting neurocognitive deficits using complex auditory assessments could change how cognitive dysfunction is identified, and monitored over time. Detecting cognitive impairment in people living with HIV (PLWH) is important for early intervention, especially in low- to middle-income countries where most cases exist. Auditory tests relate to neurocognitive test results, but the incremental predictive capability beyond demographic factors is unknown. OBJECTIVE Use machine learning to predict neurocognitive deficits, using auditory tests and demographic factors. SETTING The Infectious Disease Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. PARTICIPANTS Participants were 939 Tanzanian individuals from Dar es Salaam living with and without HIV who were part of a longitudinal study. Patients who had only one visit, a positive history of ear drainage, concussion, significant noise or chemical exposure, neurological disease, mental illness, or exposure to ototoxic antibiotics (e.g., gentamycin), or chemotherapy were excluded. This provided 478 participants (349 PLWH, 129 HIV-negative). Participant data were randomized to training and test sets for machine learning. MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S) The main outcome was whether auditory variables combined with relevant demographic variables could predict neurocognitive dysfunction (defined as a score of <26 on the Kiswahili Montreal Cognitive Assessment) better than demographic factors alone. The performance of predictive machine learning algorithms was primarily evaluated using the area under the receiver operational characteristic curve. Secondary metrics for evaluation included F1 scores, accuracies, and the Youden's indices for the algorithms. RESULTS The percentage of individuals with cognitive deficits was 36.2% (139 PLWH and 34 HIV-negative). The Gaussian and kernel naïve Bayes classifiers were the most predictive algorithms for neurocognitive impairment. Algorithms trained with auditory variables had average area under the curve values of 0.91 and 0.87, F1 scores (metric for precision and recall) of 0.81 and 0.76, and average accuracies of 86.3% and 81.9% respectively. Algorithms trained without auditory variables as features were statistically worse (p < .001) in both the primary measure of area under the curve (0.82/0.78) and the secondary measure of accuracy (72.3%/74.5%) for the Gaussian and kernel algorithms respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Auditory variables improved the prediction of cognitive function. Since auditory tests are easy-to-administer and often naturalistic tasks, they may offer objective measures or predictors of neurocognitive performance suitable for many global settings. Further research and development into using machine learning algorithms for predicting cognitive outcomes should be pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E. Niemczak
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- Dartmouth Health, Department of Medicine, Division of Hyperbaric Medicine, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Basile Montagnese
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Joshua Levy
- Dartmouth Health, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- Dartmouth Health, Department of Dermatology, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Epidemiology, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Program in Quantitative Biomedical Sciences, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Abigail M. Fellows
- Dartmouth Health, Department of Medicine, Division of Hyperbaric Medicine, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Jiang Gui
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Program in Quantitative Biomedical Sciences, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Biomedical Data Science, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Samantha M. Leigh
- Dartmouth Health, Department of Medicine, Division of Hyperbaric Medicine, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Albert Magohe
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Enica R. Massawe
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jay C. Buckey
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
- Dartmouth Health, Department of Medicine, Division of Hyperbaric Medicine, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
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Niemczak CE, Zhan Y, Ren J, Song F, Lu H, Chen G, Fellows AM, Gui J, Soli SD, Buckey JC, Shi Y. A Central Auditory Test reveals differences between drug treatment regimens in adults living with HIV. Int J Audiol 2024; 63:207-212. [PMID: 36662150 PMCID: PMC10356905 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2023.2168217] [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: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This exploratory study examined whether central auditory tests show differences between people living with HIV (PLWH) treated with two predominant antiretroviral drug therapy (ART) regimens. DESIGN Cross-sectional. STUDY SAMPLE 253 PLWH (mean age 39.8 years) from the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre, China. METHODS The Hearing in Noise Test speech reception threshold (SRT) assessed central auditory function and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) assessed cognition. The relationship between ART regimen and SRT was evaluated with multivariable linear regression incorporating age, HIV duration, and peripheral hearing ability. Multivariable logistic regression was used to ascertain if SRT and ART regimen predicted MoCA impairment. RESULTS The two predominant ART regimens differed by one drug (zidovudine or tenofovir). Participants taking the zidovudine-containing regimen had poorer SRT performance (p=.012) independent of age and hearing thresholds. MoCA scores did not differ between drug regimens, but a negative relationship was found between SRT and MoCA impairment (p=.048). CONCLUSIONS ART regimens differed in their association with central auditory test performance likely reflecting neurocognitive changes in PLWH taking the zidovudine-containing regimen. Central auditory test performance also marginally predicted cognitive impairment, supporting further assessment of central auditory tests to detect neurocognitive deficits in PLWH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E Niemczak
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth Health, Lebanon, NH, USA
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Yi Zhan
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junkun Ren
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Fengxiang Song
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongzhou Lu
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guochao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Abigail M Fellows
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Jiang Gui
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Sigfrid D Soli
- School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jay C Buckey
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth Health, Lebanon, NH, USA
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Yuxin Shi
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Lee T, Rieke C, Niemczak C, Kobrina A, Clavier O, Gonzalez J, Fuente A, Alvarez KM, Gonzalez-Quiroz M, Buckey J, Saunders J. Assessment of Central Auditory Processing in Children Using a Novel Tablet-Based Platform: Application for Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Otol Neurotol 2024; 45:176-183. [PMID: 38206066 PMCID: PMC10783812 DOI: 10.1097/mao.0000000000004085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Evaluate whether a portable, tablet-based central auditory processing (CAP) test system using native language training videos and administered by minimally trained community health workers can produce CAP results comparable to previously published norms. Our secondary aim was to determine subject parameters that influence test results. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Community-based settings in Chontales, Nicaragua, New Hampshire, and Florida. PATIENTS English- and/or Spanish-speaking children and adolescents (n = 245; average age, 12.20 yr; range, 6-18 yr). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Completion of the following tests with responses comparable to published norms: Pure-tone average (PTA), gap detection threshold (GDT), fixed-level frequency threshold, masking level difference (MLD), Hearing in Noise Test (HINT), Dichotic Digits Test (DDT), and Frequency Pattern Recognition (FPR) test. RESULTS GDT, HINT, and DDT had comparable results to previously published normative values. MLD and FPR results differed compared with previously published normative values. Most CAP tests (MLD, GDT, HINT) results were independent of age and PTA (p = 0.1-0.9). However, DDT was associated with age and PTA (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric CAP testing can be successfully completed in remote low- and middle- income country environments using a tablet-based platform without the presence of an audiologist. Performance on DDT improved with age but deteriorated with hearing loss. Further investigation is warranted to assess the variability of FPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torri Lee
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Karen Mojica Alvarez
- Vivian Pellas Hospital, Medical Director, Mayflower Medical Outreach, Managua, Nicaragua
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Joseph J, Niemczak C, Lichtenstein J, Kobrina A, Magohe A, Leigh S, Ealer C, Fellows A, Reike C, Massawe E, Gui J, Buckey JC. Central auditory test performance predicts future neurocognitive function in children living with and without HIV. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2712. [PMID: 38302516 PMCID: PMC10834399 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52380-1] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Tests of the brain's ability to process complex sounds (central auditory tests) correlate with overall measures of neurocognitive performance. In the low- middle-income countries where resources to conduct detailed cognitive testing is limited, tests that assess the central auditory system may provide a novel and useful way to track neurocognitive performance. This could be particularly useful for children living with HIV (CLWH). To evaluate this, we administered central auditory tests to CLWH and children living without HIV and examined whether central auditory tests given early in a child's life could predict later neurocognitive performance. We used a machine learning technique to incorporate factors known to affect performance on neurocognitive tests, such as education. The results show that central auditory tests are useful predictors of neurocognitive performance and perform as well or in some cases better than factors such as education. Central auditory tests may offer an objective way to track neurocognitive performance in CLWH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Joseph
- Department of Quantitative Biomedical Sciences, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Christopher Niemczak
- Department of Quantitative Biomedical Sciences, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Jonathan Lichtenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Anastasiya Kobrina
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Albert Magohe
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Samantha Leigh
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Christin Ealer
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Abigail Fellows
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Catherine Reike
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Enica Massawe
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jiang Gui
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Jay C Buckey
- Department of Quantitative Biomedical Sciences, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA.
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA.
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Bolzenius JD, Goodkin K. Variability in the relationships between auditory processing and neurocognitive status among older adults with HIV. AIDS 2023; 37:2091-2093. [PMID: 37755426 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karl Goodkin
- Department of Psychiatry
- Institute of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Harlingen, TX, USA
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Almidani L, Varadaraj V, Mihailovic A, Ramulu PY. Using Objective Vision Measures to Explore the Association of Vision Impairment With Cognition Among Older Adults in the United States. Am J Ophthalmol 2023; 255:18-29. [PMID: 37286156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2023.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the association between vision impairment (VI) and cognitive function using objective measures. DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis with a nationally representative sample. METHODS The association between VI and dementia was investigated in a US population-based, nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries, the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years, using objective vision measures. Exposures included distance VI (>20/40), near VI (>20/40), contrast sensitivity impairment (CSI) (<1.55), any objective VI (distance and near visual acuity, or contrast), and self-reported VI. The main outcome measure was dementia status defined based on survey reports, interviews, and cognitive tests. RESULTS A total of 3026 adults were included in this study; the majority were female (55%) and White (82%). The weighted prevalence rates were 10% for distance VI, 22% for near VI, 22% for CSI, 34% for any objective VI, and 7% for self-reported VI. Across all measures of VI, dementia was more than twice as prevalent in adults with VI compared to their peers without (P < .001 for all). In adjusted models, all measures of VI were associated with higher odds of dementia (distance VI: OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.24-2.44; near VI: OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.29-2.18; CSI: OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.45-2.62; any objective VI: OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.43-2.35; self-reported VI: OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.20-2.89). CONCLUSIONS In a nationally representative sample of older US adults, VI was associated with increased odds of dementia. These results suggest that maintaining good vision and eye health may help preserve cognitive function in older age, although more research is needed to investigate the potential benefits of interventions that focus on vision and eye health on cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louay Almidani
- From the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (L.A., A.M., P.Y.R.); Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (V.V.), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Varshini Varadaraj
- From the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (L.A., A.M., P.Y.R.); Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (V.V.), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Aleksandra Mihailovic
- From the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (L.A., A.M., P.Y.R.); Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (V.V.), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Pradeep Y Ramulu
- From the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (L.A., A.M., P.Y.R.); Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (V.V.), Baltimore, Maryland, USA..
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Niemczak CE, Cox C, Grigoryan G, Springer G, Fellows AM, Torre P, Hoffman HJ, Buckey JC, Plankey MW. Gap detection responses modelled using the Hill equation in adults with well-controlled HIV. Int J Audiol 2023; 62:383-392. [PMID: 35521916 PMCID: PMC9683355 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2022.2068083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study's objective was determining whether gap detection deficits are present in a longstanding cohort of people living with HIV (PLWH) compared to those living without HIV (PLWOH) using a new gap detection modelling technique (i.e. fitting gap responses using the Hill equation and analysing the individual gap detection resulting curves with non-linear statistics). This approach provides a measure of both gap threshold and the steepness of the gap length/correct detection relationship. DESIGN The relationship between the correct identification rate at each gap length was modelled using the Hill equation. Results were analysed using a nonlinear mixed-effect regression model. STUDY SAMPLE 45 PLWH (age range 41-78) and 39 PLWOH (age range 38-79) were enrolled and completed gap detection testing. RESULTS The likelihood ratio statistic comparing the full regression model with the HIV effects to the null model, assuming one population curve for both groups, was highly significant (p < 0.001), suggesting a less precise relationship between gap length and correct detection in PLWH. CONCLUSIONS PLWH showed degraded gap detection ability compared to PLWOH, likely due to central nervous system effects of HIV infection or treatment. The Hill equation provided a new approach for modelling gap detection ability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher Cox
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Gayle Springer
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Peter Torre
- San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Howard J. Hoffman
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jay C. Buckey
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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Niemczak CE, Ealer C, Fellows A, Magohe A, Gui J, Rieke C, Nicol T, Massawe ER, Kraus N, Buckey JC. Peripheral Auditory Function in Tanzanian Children Living With HIV With Clinically Normal Hearing. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e233061. [PMID: 36920392 PMCID: PMC10018326 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.3061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Despite normal audiometry, adults living with HIV have lower distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) compared with HIV-negative controls, but the degree of these differences in children living with HIV is unknown. If subclinical auditory deficits are present, results could affect developmental outcomes in children living with HIV (CLWH). OBJECTIVE To compare DPOAEs and auditory brainstem responses (ABR) between 2 age- and sex-matched groups of younger children with normal audiometry, 1 infected with HIV and the other uninfected. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cohort study in an infectious disease center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants included 340 Tanzanian children aged 3 to 9 years with clinically normal hearing, type A tympanograms bilaterally, and air-conduction thresholds of 20 dB HL or less from 0.5 to 8 kHz. Participants in the cohort repeated testing approximately every 6 months (approximately 2.2 sessions per participant) for a total of 744 total observations. Data were analyzed from March 2020 to January 2022. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES DPOAE amplitudes from 1.5 to 8 kHz using an f2 to f1 ratio of 1.2 and L1/L2 values of 65/55 dB sound pressure level and click-evoked ABR using a slow (21.1/s) and fast (61.1/s) click rate. RESULTS A total of 141 CLWH (70 female participants [49.3%]; mean [SD] age, 7.24 [1.67] years) and 199 HIV-negative individuals (99 female participants [49.7%]; mean [SD] age, 7.26 [1.44] years) participated in the study. The groups did not differ significantly in age, static immittance, or air-conduction thresholds. HIV status was independently associated with approximately 1.4 dB (95% CI, -3.28 to 0.30 dB) to 3.8 dB (95% CI, 6.03 to -1.99 dB) lower DPOAE amplitudes at 6 and 8 kHz bilaterally and 0.28 μV (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.33 μV) lower ABR wave V amplitudes in the right ear. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Consistent with previous findings in young adults, CLWH had slightly, but reliably, lower DPOAEs and ABR wave V amplitudes than HIV-negative controls. The magnitude of these differences was small, but results suggest an early and consistent association between HIV infection or treatment and outer hair cell and auditory brainstem responses in children as young as 3 years. These subclinical changes suggest tracking both auditory function and development outcomes in CLWH is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E. Niemczak
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Christin Ealer
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Abigail Fellows
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Albert Magohe
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jiang Gui
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Catherine Rieke
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Trent Nicol
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Enica R. Massawe
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Departments of Communication Sciences, Neurobiology and Otolaryngology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Jay C. Buckey
- Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
- Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
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Sprenger-Svačina A, Haensch J, Weiss K, Große Hokamp N, Maintz D, Schlamann M, Fink GR, Schloss N, Laukamp K, Wunderlich G, Lehmann HC, Lichtenstein T. MRI correlates of motoneuron loss in SMA. J Neurol 2023; 270:503-510. [PMID: 36180649 PMCID: PMC9813025 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-11326-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently explored as supplemental tool to monitor disease progression and treatment response in various neuromuscular disorders. We here assessed the utility of a multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol including quantitative water T2 mapping, Dixon-based proton density fat fraction (PDFF) estimation and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to detect loss of spinal motor neurons and subsequent muscle damage in adult SMA patients. METHODS Sixteen SMA patients and 13 age-matched controls were enrolled in this prospective, longitudinal study. All participants underwent MRI imaging including measurements of Dixon-based PDFF and DTI of the sciatic nerve. SMA patients furthermore underwent measurements of muscle water T2 (T2w) of the biceps femoris muscle (BFM) and quadriceps femoris muscle (QFM). Ten participants returned for a second scan six months later. MRI parameter were correlated with clinical data. All patients were on nusinersen treatment. RESULTS There were significantly higher intramuscular fat fractions in the BFM and QFM of SMA patients compared to healthy controls at baseline and after 6 months. Furthermore, T2 values significantly correlated positively with intramuscular fat fractions. The Hammersmith functional motor scale significantly correlated with the QFM's intramuscular fat fractions. DTI scans of the sciatic nerve were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that, water T2 mapping and Dixon-based PDFF estimation may distinguish between adult SMA patients and controls, due to massive intramuscular fat accumulation in SMA. More extensive long-term studies are warranted to further evaluate these two modalities as surrogate markers in SMA patients during treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Sprenger-Svačina
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Johannes Haensch
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kilian Weiss
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Philips GmbH Market DACH, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nils Große Hokamp
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - David Maintz
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marc Schlamann
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gereon R Fink
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
| | - Natalie Schloss
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kai Laukamp
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gilbert Wunderlich
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Helmar C Lehmann
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Thorsten Lichtenstein
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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